Paralysed From The Waist Down, Next Dead
by PrincessRedfern
Summary: Based loosely around a quote from Vampire Diaries, this is set after the Last Sacrifice. What happens when a run in with the past leaves Rose paralysed? Will she ever get out of the wheelchair?
1. Chapter 1 Ruins in the Rain

**Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did, I don't own Vampire Academy.**

Chapter One- Ruins in the Rain

RPOV

"Catch me if you can!"

I ran through the rain with Dimitri behind me. I knew it was only a matter of time before he caught me, but I didn't care. With Lissa and me at Lehigh and Christian and Dimitri at court, we hadn't seen each other in months. Luckily, Liss and Christian had been more than happy to give Dimitri and me a few days off.

I squealed in laughter as Dimitri grabbed my waist and tackled me to the ground. We were sopping wet and muddy, but I didn't care. Dimitri rolled us so that we were facing each other, with him on top. He kissed me gently. I responded by wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him back.

Someone cleared their throat behind us. Laughing, we stood up.

"Sorry, we got a bit..." I trailed off, looking at the Strigoi in front of us.

There were only ten of them and they were along the edges of the wards. They weren't at court... yet, but both Dimitri and I knew it was only a matter of time before they were. That thought fuelled my rage and before I knew it I was pulling my stake out of my pocket and running out of the wards and at the Strigoi.

I heard Dimitri call after me but I didn't listen. I swiped at one of the Strigoi, plunging my stake into her heart. The grunts behind me told me that Dimitri had followed my lead and was also fighting. I didn't look back or hesitate, I just acted.

Most of the Strigoi were freshly turned and easy to fight. Others were older and stronger. They presented more of a challenge. I was stuck fighting one Strigoi. He was fairly old and had obviously been a dhampir before being turned. I was getting tired and he could see it. The Strigoi grabbed me by my neck and held me tightly to him. I screamed in terror and watched Dimitri stake his final Strigoi and start running over to me.

"Don't move Belikov, or she dies," the Strigoi hissed.

I watched Dimitri freeze where he was, "How do you know who I am?"


	2. Chapter 2 Blast from the Past

**Disclaimer: I had a dream last night. I owned Vampire Academy. Then I woke up.**

**Life stinks sometimes.**

Chapter Two- Blast from the Past

DPOV

I heard Rose scream and panic flooded through me. I staked the Strigoi I was fighting and ran over to where she was.

She was being held by a Strigoi by her neck. The Strigoi smiled tauntingly at me and hissed for me not to move. I froze and suddenly became aware that he'd used my name. I didn't recognise him from my time as a Strigoi.

"How do you know who I am?" I asked.

The Strigoi smiled, "I'm one of Donovan's men. I watched your whole fight from the window of his tattoo shop. I also watched you and this girl, Rosemarie Hathaway," The Strigoi looked down at Rose who continued to struggle in his arms. He continued on, "I know she means something to you."

I thought back to that night with Rose in the alley. I hadn't noticed anyone watching, but I had been preoccupied.

"What do you want?" I asked, watching Rose struggle futilely.

"Well at first I wanted vengeance, but now I just want to live," he informed me.

"I will let you live if you just let Rose go," I promised.

The Strigoi smiled at me, "Oh, I know you will. If I can't get my vengeance on you, I suppose I'll get it on her."

I stepped forward involuntarily, "Don't!"

I watched him put a hand on her spine and heard a sickening crack sound. Rose's eyes went wide and she started gasping. Her legs went limp.

"Paralysed from the waist down and next she's dead. There's my vengeance, Guardian Belikov," the Strigoi's eyes were triumphant and cruel.

"Let her go. I won't touch you if you just let her go," the word 'paralysed' echoed in my mind.

"If you say so," the Strigoi murmured.

He dropped Rose to the ground and ran. I didn't spare him one glance. I ran straight to Rose. She was still lying there, struggling to move.

"Roza, Rose, what did he do?" I asked, bending down beside her.

She looked up at me with wide, desperate eyes, "I can't feel them Dimitri. I can't feel my legs!"


	3. Chapter 3 Condemned

**A/N: AFTER I POSTED THE LAST CHAPTER, I REALISED THAT I FORGOT TO THANK MY REVIEWERS. THANK YOU TO TWILIGHTERNPROUD, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17, BELIKOV AND MR AARON FOR YOUR REVIEWS (AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM IN SOME CASES). I HOPE THIS CHAPTER DOESN'T DISAPPOINT.**

**Disclaimer: Vampire Academy belongs to Richelle Mead (unfortunately)**

Chapter Three- Condemned

RPOV

I heard the sickening snap and waited for the pain. It never came. I had to be numb if I wasn't feeling my injuries. There was something wrong and whatever it was left me hyperventilating and wide eyed.

The Strigoi's next words chilled me to my core, "Paralysed from the waist and next she's dead."

I watched Dimitri's eyes widen in horror. My head began to swim. He couldn't mean... I suddenly realised that I couldn't feel my legs. I continued to hyperventilate. Oh my, God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

"Let her go," Dimitri's voice came out strained, "I won't touch you if you just let her go."

The grip on my body vanished and I felt myself falling to the floor. I couldn't do anything to stop myself.

"If you say so," the Strigoi murmured.

I didn't have to look up to know that he had run away, because the next thing I knew, Dimitri was crouched down beside me.

"Roza, Rose, what did he do?"

I felt my eyes get wider, "I can't feel them Dimitri. I can't feel my legs!"

Dimitri's eyes went wide. Tears spilled down my cheeks. He lifted me up into his arms, cradling my limp body to his chest.

"I'm so sorry... Rose, it's all my fault," he whispered brokenly.

I shook my head, "No it isn't!"

Dimitri stood up, continuing to cradle me. He ran with me back into the wards and didn't stop until we reached the infirmary. I sobbed, my salty tears staining his shirt. I was scared and vulnerable, two things I hadn't been in a long time.


	4. Chapter 4 Healing

**A/N: WOW TWO CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY. THIS IS FOR TWILIGHTERNPROUD BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WERE DISAPPOINTED AT THE CHAPTER SIZE. THIS CHAPTER IS SLIGHTLY LONGER AND AS THE CHAPTERS GO ON THEY WILL GET LONGER (I HOPE).**

**Disclaimer: I am drawing up the contract that will give me the rights to Vampire Academy. I just have to get Richelle Mead to sign it.**

Chapter Four- Healing

DPOV

I burst into the infirmary with Rose in my arms.

"Get the Queen down here now," I cried, laying Rose down on one of the hospital beds.

The doctor came through and looked at Rose's tear stained face. Not being able to find any injuries, he looked at me to explain.

"There were Strigoi and they... he... he broke her spine," my voice broke on that last word.

The doctor gasped, "She's paralysed."

I nodded, tears forming in my eyes. I blinked them back and squeezed Rose's hand, forcing myself to be strong for her.

"Dimitri, what's happened?" Lissa burst into the room, followed by a fleet of guardians and one of the nurses who had gone to get her.

She took in the sight of Rose on the bed, sobbing, and gasped, "Rose?"

Lissa turned to me, fear clear in her eyes.

"Rose and I found about ten Strigoi on the edges of the wards. Rose left the wards to kill them and I followed. We killed all of them... all but one. Rose was fighting him and she was tired. He grabbed her and told me not to move. He knew us... he watched us fight Strigoi to find Sonya. He wanted vengeance but his self preservation thoughts were stronger. He told me that if he couldn't get me, he would use Rose to strike out at us both. He broke..." I shook my head, unable to say anymore.

Lissa took one more look at Rose, taking in the limp legs and tear-marked face. She gasped.

"... her spine?" she whispered.

I nodded and tears fell down Lissa's cheeks.

"I'll heal her... I won't let her be paralysed!" Lissa stepped forward defiantly.

"Queen Vasilisa, I'm not sure if there is anything you can do..." the doctor said.

Lissa shot him a haughty look, "Are you refusing the Queen?"

This was the first time I'd ever heard Lissa use her title to get what she wanted. Her love for Rose was more important than anything at the moment.

"Of... of... of course not, your Majesty," he stepped back, allowing Lissa to get to Rose.

Lissa walked over to Rose and clasped her hand. Rose was hysterical by now and so far gone that she didn't know what was happening. Lissa closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and frowned.

"Rose, honey, I need you to calm down," she said gently, like she was talking to a child.

Rose looked up at Lissa, the tears still streaking her face. Lissa continued to speak gently, but she couldn't calm Rose down all the way.

I stepped forward and took Rose's other hand.

"Roza, it's going to be okay. Lissa's going to heal you and you're going to be okay," I whispered to her, before switching to soothing Russian words.

Lissa closed her eyes. I watched as Rose's legs straightened up, becoming less limp.

"I've healed the break but the nerves are damaged. I'll need to heal them too," Lissa said.

She put her hand on Rose's leg and closed her eyes. After a moment she started screaming.


	5. Chapter 5 Agony

**A/N: THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED- TWILIGHTERNPROUD, BELIKOV, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17 AND XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX. HOPEFULLY THIS CHAPTER WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAD.**

**Me: Rose, do the disclaimer.**

**Rose: Hell no, you paralysed me.**

**Me: Lissa?**

**Lissa: No way. I'm in agony, remember?**

**Me: Dimitri, wanna help me out?**

**Dimitri: You paralysed the woman I love!**

**Me: Technically it was the Strigoi! *sigh* Christian?**

***silence***

**Me: Right, he's not here. *another sigh* I don't own Vampire Academy.**

Chapter Five- Agony

DPOV

Lissa's screams filled the room and she backed away from Rose, clutching her head in agony. Her screams grew louder as she broke contact and then slowly faded off. Her hands lowered from her head and she looked at Rose in shock.

"What happened?" I asked.

Lissa shook her head, "I can only heal Rose's nerves for a moment. The darkness is blocking me."

Nausea welled up in the pit of my stomach as I asked, "Whose darkness?"

"Rose's; after the bond broke the darkness was trapped inside of her. It shouldn't have done anything but heightened her emotions, but now, it's blocking me from feeling her nerves and healing them for longer than a minute. It's going to take me months to heal her nerves!" Lissa said exasperatedly.

She sat down and put her head in her hands, saddened by her inability to help her best friend.

I looked at Rose. The healing had rendered her unconscious. I let go of her hand and approached Lissa.

"So this is going to take some time. It'll be okay. A slow healing is better than Rose being stuck in a wheelchair for the rest of her life," I reassured Lissa, sitting beside her.

She looked up at me, "But I can't save her. Rose is always saving me and I can't help her."

"You are helping her. It'll take some time, but when Rose is able to walk again, it will be because of you," I told Lissa.

"Really?" she asked softly.

"Really," I replied.

We sat in silence for a while. I replayed the events of the night in my mind. I could remember every aspect of that Strigoi, both typical and unique features. He had been tall and well built- a Dhampir in a previous life. He'd had those red eyes and chalky white skin. I could remember that he had dark brown shaggy hair. And he'd had a scar... a long thin scar running along his face, like someone had struck him with a stake. But Strigoi healed from stake attacks...

I gasped as the pieces fell into place, "I know who the Strigoi is!"

Lissa looked up at me, "What?"

"It's someone I haven't seen in a long time... but someone I knew," I revelled in my new discovery.

"Who is it?" Lissa asked.

I took a deep breath, "My step-brother."


	6. Chapter 6 Twisted Family Histories

**A/N: AS ALWAYS, THANKS TO MY REVIEWERS, GREGRE, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17 AND BELIKOV. THIS CHAPTER SHOULD HOPEFULLY ANSWER MOST QUESTIONS AND IT'S A LOT LONGER THAN THE OTHERS.**

**IN RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION 'DO I WATCH VAMPIRE DIARIES', YES I DO, I LOVE IT AND AS I SAID IN MY SUMMARY I DID GET THE QUOTE FROM THE SHOW (SEASON 2, EPISODE SEVEN 'MASQUERADE', KATHERINE SAYS IT).**

**I MAY HAVE MUCKED UP DIMITRI'S DAD'S NAME BUT I WASN'T SURE WHAT IT WAS SO I MADE IT UP... THIS IS FANFICTION. IF I GET ANYTHING WRONG... REVIEW AND TELL ME **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Academy. I do however own a certain Russian's family history, father and step-brother XD**

Chapter Six- Twisted Family Histories

DPOV

As soon as the words left my mouth, a tumble of memories flooded my brain. I had once told Rose that I'd beaten my father at thirteen for hitting my mother, but that wasn't the full story.

My father was a married man when he met my mother. He was a well-known royal in America, Klaus Conta, and he was married to a royal Moroi woman, Marianna Dashkov. He met my mother when she was sixteen. She was at St Basil's studying to be a guardian, but wasn't really committed to it. He told her he was single, and my mother having heard nothing about him, believed him. Within months, she had dropped out of school and was pregnant with my sister, Karolina.

My father enjoyed my mother's company and came back to Russia to see her frequently. Those visits resulted in the births of Sonya, I and Viktoria. My mother found out that my father was married when she was halfway through her pregnancy with Viktoria, when my father's wife, Marianna, sent her a letter asking her to stop tearing their family apart. My mother was horrified and asked my father to stop coming. He didn't.

Despite my mother's wishes, my father continued to turn up. When he left, my mother would always be covered in bruises and break down and cry at her own weakness.

When I was thirteen, my father showed up with a twelve year old Moroi boy with him. My father introduced the boy to my mother as Elijah Johnson Dashkov, his step-son. I'd hid in my mother's closet, listening to their conversation. My father referred to the boy as Eli and told her that he was his wife's illegitimate son, the product of her revenge on my father for his relationship with my mother. Eli's real name was Elijah Johnson Dashkov Conta. Everyone assumed that Johnson was a nickname and that all my father's children, the Dashkov was for Marianna. But they were wrong.

My father had told my mother that it was her fault that Eli even existed and that he refused to have Eli in his house anymore. He called Eli all kinds of names and then sent him out to talk to my sisters. He told my mother that Eli was her responsibility and he would be leaving him with us. Then he began to beat her. Watching my mother be hurt like that made something snap inside of me and I'd leapt out of the closet and began beating him. I threatened him if he ever stepped inside our house and told him that if he left Eli here it was for good.

My father left, leaving his step-son behind. My mother couldn't bring herself to send Eli away and welcomed him into our family. Eli had been bought up to despise Dhampirs and was incredibly rude to my mother whenever he was home. We sent Eli to St Basil's, the school my sisters and I attended. He fell into the royal crowd and lied about who he is. He said that he was the son of Klaus and Marianna Conta and that they had chosen to send him to St Basil's rather than St Vladimir's. No one questioned it.

The older Eli got, the more disrespectful he became. He was cruel towards my mother, treating her like a slave and treated my sisters similarly. When Eli was sixteen and I was seventeen, we came home from school. I noticed that my mother was beginning to have bruises form again. She and my sisters said nothing about it, even when I asked if my father had returned. I realised that the bruises were only forming after I had been away for a while. So, I set a few traps, pretending to go away and then staking out the house.

It didn't take me long to catch Eli in the act. He had begun to hit my mother. I was furious. I hit him and told him to leave. But Eli was more intelligent than my father had been. He had a knife and attempted to use it on me. I managed to get the knife away from him and when he went to hit me, I swiped at him, in self defence. I cut his face. I drove him to the hospital and told them that he'd gotten into a fight. Eli was so afraid of me that he agreed to it. I took all of his belongings and left them there.

I didn't hear of Eli again until after I graduated. He hadn't returned to school in a few months and I learned from some of his friends that he had been forcibly turned Strigoi. I had felt sorry for him, he had been a horrible person, but no one deserved that fate. I had tried searching for him when I had been turned, intrigued at what had become of him, but had ultimately decided that Galina was a better option.

And now I knew. Eli had found Donovan. I wondered if he remembered me. When I'd first seen Eli's fighting skills I'd thought that he was a Dhampir, but now I realised that most of his 'skills' came from the strength he'd worked up hurting Dhampir women. Obviously my mother wasn't the first or last woman he'd hurt.

My thoughts grew dark at that. My mother wasn't the last woman he'd hurt- Roza was. I would hunt that monster down and kill him the moment Rose was healed. He would regret the day he touched her. I would make sure he died begging for mercy.

I recognised the Strigoi anger welling up inside of me. I was turning into what I had been with Donovan- a senseless monstrous killer. I took a deep breath and forced myself to think of Rose. She was what had pulled me back then and she was pulling me back now.

I walked over to her and stroked her beautiful silky hair. I bent down to kiss her forehead and whispered, "I'm so sorry my Roza. I promise I'll get him for you."


	7. Chapter 7 Revelations

**A/N: THANKS TO MY REVIEWERS, TWILIGHTERNPROUD, XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX, GREGRE, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17 AND BELIKOV. YOU GUYS ROCK!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Academy... unfortunately.**

Chapter Seven- Revelations

RPOV

I woke up in a white room. Considering the amount of times I've landed myself in the infirmary, it took me longer than usual to figure out where I was.

I tried to sit up, but could barely feel my legs, other than sensing they were there. Feelings of panic came back to me as memories hit.

"Dimitri?" I turned my head to the left.

Dimitri was asleep in a chair beside my bed. The moment I spoke, he shot up, alert.

"Rose," he whispered.

He took my hand in his and I asked him to help me sit up.

"What do you remember?" he whispered, sitting beside me.

I closed my eyes, letting the memories wash over me.

"There were... Strigoi; we killed most of them but one of them... he grabbed me. He snapped my back..."

Tears filled my eyes, threatening to spill over. I looked up at Dimitri, pleading with my eyes for him to deny what I knew to be true.

"I'm so sorry Roza," he whispered, pulling me closer to him.

My breath hitched and I fought to push the tears away. After a moment I spoke.

"It's not your fault Dimitri."

His eyes grew dark and pained. I waited for more bad news to hit, but he was silent.

"Dimitri," I said, finally, "What's wrong?"

He pulled me tighter to him, "I'm so sorry Rose. It's all my fault!"

"What do you mean? Dimitri, _I'm_ the one who ran out to meet the Strigoi. _I'm_ the one who let my guard down. _I_ fought Donovan and his men."

"Rose... Roza, you don't understand. The Strigoi who... who hurt you... he was my stepbrother," Dimitri said.

"Stepbrother," I echoed.

"I told you I hit my father, but that wasn't the full story. My father was married. He cheated on his wife with my mother, who he told he was single, and in turn, his wife had an affair. It resulted in a son, _Eli_," Dimitri spat the name like it was poisonous, "My father left Eli with us. Eli was rude and obnoxious and eventually he began hitting my mother as well. I went after Eli, but he was smarter than my father. He had a knife and in the end, I cut his face in self-defence. We kicked Eli out and I didn't see him again. I heard that he'd been turned but I never ran into him. He didn't choose to attack us just because of Donovan... he did it because of _me_."

His voice broke on the last word. I sat in silence, processing what he'd told me.

"It's not your fault. Eli sounds like a jerk. He deserves everything he got," I said softly.

Dimitri pressed his lips into my hair, "Thank you."

"Does... does Lissa know?" I whispered.

"Yes."

"Has she been here?"

"She tried to heal you. She healed the break, but she can't heal your nerves for more than a minute. After the bond broke, the darkness was trapped in you. She said it should have only heightened your moods, but now it's wrapping itself around you and unleashing itself on Lissa by causing her agony."

I swallowed, "Oh my God."

Five words swirled around in my brain. _I might never walk again. I might never walk again._ It was pressing on me... everywhere. I could feel my breathing speeding up- hyperventilating.

"Rose, calm down," Dimitri cried, putting his large, long hands on my shoulders.

"I'm going to have to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life," I gasped.

"No, Rose, Lissa can heal you. It will just take some time. One maybe two months and you'll be walking again. Lissa and Christian have already given us both four months off and Lissa's deferring from Lehigh for a year so that we can all be here for you!" Dimitri insisted.

"What?" I cried.

"We all want to support you Rose."

Tears spilled down my cheeks.

"Rose?" Dimitri asked gently.

"Go get Lissa," I choked out.

Dimitri moved so that I was leaning against the back of the bed. He was gone for a minute and when he came back, he was followed by my best friend.

Liss launched herself at me, sobbing as she hugged my neck.

"Oh Rose!"

"Liss!"

We cried together for what felt like hours. Finally Lissa pulled back and wiped her eyes with a dainty finger.

"I'm going to heal you Rose. I promise, I won't let you be in a wheelchair."


	8. Chapter 8 Going Home

**A/N: THANKS TO MY REVIEWERS, TWILIGHTERNPROUD, XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX, GREGRE, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17, BELIKOV, JUSTPROMISE AND JAYMA94. YOU GUYS ROCK! THIS CHAPTER IS JUST A SMALL FILLER. I'LL WRITE BIGGER CHAPTERS OVER THE WEEKEND. PLEASE REVIEW.**

**Disclaimer: Vampire Academy is mine... yeah, I wish.**

Chapter Eight- Going Home

RPOV

They only kept me in the infirmary a week. Lissa had been healing me for a minute every day and while I couldn't notice any change, she swore that my nerves were slowly healing.

Going home was hard. Going back to the place where I'd once been so happy and free... I'd once wished to get sick just to have a little time off and I'd never regretted any words more. I'd always loved sitting but my wheelchair was my prison. That was the thing about tragedy... it took everything beautiful, everything loved and twisted it so that it was the opposite of that- dark and ugly and hated.

-Flashback-

Dimitri opened the door to our apartment and pushed my wheelchair inside. He wheeled me into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

"Are you hungry? I figured you would be so I bought some chocolate cake before I picked you up," he said, pulling a green box out and put it on the bench.

I nodded, more to be polite than to quench my appetite. For once in my life, I wasn't hungry.

Dimitri cut me up a big piece of cake and rolled me to the table. He set the cake in front of me and sat in one of the chairs. I nibbled on what used to be chocolate-y goodness, but was now just, well, bland. I'd eaten a corner when a yawn came through my lips.

"Are you tired?" Dimitri stood up straight away.

I nodded. Dimitri instantly pulled my wheelchair away from the table and pushed me into our room. He gently slipped an arm under my legs and one behind my back and lifted me out of the chair. He laid me on our bed and kissed my forehead.

"Goodnight, Roza," he whispered, stroking my hair.

I waited until he had left the room to let the tears fall. I cried softly into my pillow, letting the tears stain the cover, until my mind grew tired and my body fell asleep.

-End of Flashback-

That was two weeks ago. I had barely left bed since. I had no energy anymore. I wasn't myself. I was the anti-Rose- always tired and sad and never hungry. I was in a funk, and I had no idea how to pull myself out of it.


	9. Chapter 9 Bringing Rose Back

**A/N: I AM SO SORRY IT'S TAKEN ME SO LONG TO UPDATE. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE EXAMS FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS AND I'VE SPENT THE WEEKEND STUDYING. IT WAS ALSO MY SISTERS' BIRTHDAYS ON SATURDAY AND I HAD TO CELEBRATE. HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER. I TYPED IT FAIRLY QUICKLY SO I HOPE IT MAKES SENSE. I'VE BEEN TRYING TO ESTABLISH THIS AND I'M NOT SURE IF I'M TRYING TO MAKE ROSE'S RECOVERY GO TOO FAST. I DO KNOW THAT I WANT IT TO TAKE A FEW MORE CHAPTERS BUT I DO WANT TO HURRY IT UP BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE STORY. PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YU THINK.**

**QUICK SHOUTOUTS TO MY AWESOME REVIEWERS- LOVENTHERUSSIAN17, JUSTPROMISE AND TWILIGHTERNPROUD. THANKS YOU GUYS. YOUR REVIEWS ARE THE REASON I WRITE. YOU'RE ALL SO SWEET!**

**Disclaimer: I won't bore you with a disclaimer. After not updating all weekend, I owe you that much. Consider this disclaimed.**

Chapter Nine- Bringing Rose Back

DPOV

It had been three weeks and _all_ Rose did was sleep. I was so worried, and I wasn't the only one. Lissa was constantly at our apartment, always trying to heal Rose or find ways to cheer her up. Christian was there by default. Guardian Castile, or Eddie, as he liked to be called, was over as much as his new position as Mia Rinaldi's guardian would allow. Luckily for him, Mia and Rose were still close, meaning she was constantly at our apartment and whenever Eddie didn't have shifts, he was with her. Not to mention that Abe and his new guardian (and Rose's mother) Janine had immediately come to court when they heard of Rose's accident.

But none of them could help Rose. She was horribly, horribly depressed and I could understand now what Lissa had meant about the darkness heightening her moods. I spent every moment on edge, listening out for the precise second the depression became more dangerous... the moment that sleeping and being silent became self-harm or something worse.

I didn't have a bond with Rose, but I could sense that she was hurting. She had spent her whole life being active and free and now she was caged, trapped forever in a wheelchair. And it was all my fault.

"Dimitri?" Lissa's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Yes?" I responded absently, still listening out for any signs of movement from Rose.

"She's awake. I'm going to do the healing now," Lissa said softly.

I nodded and followed her into the room I shared with Rose. I looked at the woman I loved, laying flat on the bed, her legs slightly limp, her face tear stained.

"Rose, I'm going to do the healing now, okay?" Lissa said gently, like speaking to a child.

Rose shocked us both by saying, "Will it help you if I try to hold the darkness back?"

It was the first time she'd spoken since I'd bought her back from the hospital. Lissa nodded eagerly at the idea.

"Yes! The darkness shouldn't hurt you. If you can hold it back, I might be able to heal most of your nerves. If I can heal that much in one session, you should be out of your wheelchair in a week or two!"

Hope flitted across Rose's face for a moment. It faded quickly. I watched her face change to a look of intense concentration. She nodded to Lissa, the gesture saying that she was ready. Lissa laid her hands on Rose's legs and closed her eyes.

Rose gasped and I could see the pain in her eyes. A small whimper escaped her lips and I knew that she was struggling not to scream. I gripped her hand tightly in mine and whispered comforting Russian words in her ear. She whimpered again and I ran a hand over her forehead.

Lissa began panting slightly. I was about to turn my attention to her, when a small scream alerted me to Rose. I watched in fear as her eyelids began to flutter and her upper body started to convulse.

"Lissa, you need to stop! It's hurting her!" I cried out, trying desperately to hold Rose down.

Lissa continued to hold her hands on Rose's legs, but the intense look of concentration disappeared from her face, "I can't stop it!"

Her shrieks rang through the house, alerting our other 'guests', Christian, Abe, Mia and Eddie (Janine had a shift). They ran into the room and took in Rose's convulsing body and Lissa's hysterical, panting form.

"What happened?" Christian cried, running to Lissa's side.

I continued to try to hold Rose down, but she was flailing around far too much.

"Rose is holding the darkness so that Lissa can heal her for longer, but we can't stop her from healing her and the darkness has unleashed itself on Rose," I cried.

"You need to knock me out," Lissa panted.

"What?" Christian cried.

"It's the only way to stop the power from flowing from me to Rose. She can't let go of the darkness until the healing stops," Lissa said, appearing calm, but barely able to mask the panic underneath.

Christian looked pained as Eddie stepped forward hesitantly. He raised his hand and then bought it down.

"I can't do this! She's a Moroi and the Queen, at that!" he cried.

"Get out of the way!" Abe snarled.

He pushed past Eddie and thrust his fist against Lissa's head. She cried out and fell to the ground. Christian caught her and pulled her up into his arms, struggling under her weight.

"Take her to the couch. She should wake up in a couple of minutes," I instructed.

Everyone except Abe followed Lissa out of the room. I turned my attention back to Rose. She was unconscious. I ran a hand over her sweaty, clammy forehead.

"My poor baby girl," Abe murmured, sitting on the other side of her.

"Why does everything happen to her?" my question was meant to be rhetorical, yet I felt like I needed an answer, "The accident, Spokane, the attack, Siberia," I winced at that one, "the murder, the shooting and now this. When will it end for her?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I asked that.

"She's just unlucky I suppose. Some might say that it comes with being shadow-kissed. I know that Mark has had more than his fair share of bad luck," Abe said.

"But she's not shadow-kissed anymore. She's only nineteen and she's seen and felt more than most people see in a lifetime. It's not fair," I kissed her forehead and then rested my head there, "It's not fair."


	10. Chapter 10 Unsure

**A/N: THIS IS JUST A QUICK, FILLER CHAPTER. I KNOW THAT ROSE'S PARALYSIS IS GOING TO LAST OVER THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS, BUT I'M GETTING A LITTLE VAGUE ON SOME OF THE DETAILS. IF ANYONE HAS ANY IDEAS, THEY'D BE REALLY APPRECIATED.**

**THANK YOU TO LOVENTHERUSSIAN17, JUSTPROMISE AND TWILIGHTERNPROUD. YOU GUYS TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW EVERY CHAPTER AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT!**

**Disclaimer:**

**Me: So... who wants to do the disclaimer?**

**Dimitri and Christian: You knocked our girlfriends unconscious!**

**Me: *nervous laughter* Okay... so not you guys. Mia?**

**Mia: *pulls away from Eddie* I'm kinda busy Princess *goes back to making out***

**Me: Abe... I mean, Mr. Mazur?**

**Abe: You paralysed my daughter.**

**Me: Technically it was a Strigoi. Okay... so... no one wants to do the disclaimer... *pauses to think and then has light bulb moment and pulls mobile phone out and dials a number***

**Adrian: Hello?**

**Me: Hey, Adrian. It's PrincessRedfern.**

**Adrian: The chick who paralysed Rose?**

**Me: I see my reputation precedes me. Interesting... but yes it's true. So will you do it?**

**Adrian: Hell yes. Anyone who hurts Rose is my new BFF! *professional voice* PrincessRedfern does not own Vampire Academy.**

**Me: Thanks Adrian... but I'm still Team Dimitri!**

Chapter Ten Unsure

RPOV

When I woke up, Dimitri was stroking my clammy, sweaty forehead with a damp towel.

"Rose?" he whispered as my eyelids fluttered open.

I blinked and looked up at him. The events from Lissa's healing came flooding back to me- the horrible, horrible pain, the darkness weighing on my mind and Lissa not being able to stop the healing.

"Is Lissa okay?" I asked softly.

He nodded, "She woke up a few hours ago."

"Hours? How long have I been out?" I asked.

"Seven hours," Dimitri replied.

"What?"

"Did the healing work?" Dimitri asked anxiously.

I tried to move my legs. I suddenly realised, I couldn't feel them.

"I don't know. I can't feel them anymore. Usually, I have a general sense that they're there but now... I can't feel anything."

Dimitri nodded and put the towel down. He kissed my forehead and told me he was so glad that I was awake. I barely registered his words. I just felt so empty and hollow inside. I was broken and I didn't know how to become whole again.


	11. Chapter 11 Halfway There

**A/N: HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER. THE STORYLINE IS PICKING UP NOW AND GOING TO WHERE I WANT IT TO GO. I MAY HAVE DONE DIMITRI A BIT OOC IN THE LAST PART, I'M NOT SURE. PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.**

**THANK YOU TO DIMKA'S CHICK, XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX, BELIKOV AND LOVENTHERUSSIAN17. YOUR REVIEWS MAKE ME SMILE **

**Disclaimer: I, unfortunately, am not the genius behind Vampire Academy or the line "Paralysed from the waist down and **_**now **_**dead" I am however, the genius behind the line and story "Paralysed from the waist down, next dead"**

Chapter Eleven Halfway There

DPOV

I was worried. Rose had said that she couldn't feel her legs. We'd been making so much progress and now we were back to where we started.

"Can you get Lissa, Dimitri?" Rose asked softly.

I nodded and stuck my head out the door, "Lissa, Rose is awake."

Lissa stood up and hurried into the room, leaving Christian behind.

"Rose!" Lissa threw her arms around Rose's neck.

"Liss... did it work?" Rose asked hopefully.

Lissa pulled back and touched her leg briefly. She grinned in excitement.

"Rose, I managed to heal half of your nerves! We accelerated the process up so that we'll only have to do about another month's worth of healing, rather than the two months it was going to take!" Lissa cried.

"Why can't I feel them yet then?" Rose asked softly.

Lissa sat down beside Rose, "That's just your body adjusting to the accelerated rate of healing. You didn't feel the effects last time because we were doing it at such a slow rate."

Rose nodded. She looked so broken still, I wanted to fix it.

"Why don't we go and sit in one of the gardens?" I suggested, praying the fresh air would cheer her up.

"That's a fantastic idea! We could take a picnic!" Lissa smiled.

I nodded, "That sounds great! I'm sure that we can rustle up something good."

Rose shook her head, "I'm not hungry."

Worry stirred up within me, "Rose, you haven't eaten in days. Isn't that like a decade in Rose time?" I tried to tease her.

"I guess so," Rose said emotionlessly.

"Come on Rose. Please? The fresh air will do you good!" Lissa pleaded.

Rose sighed in defeat, "I guess we could go out for an hour."

"Yes! Thanks Rose!" Lissa squealed, squeezing Rose tightly and running out of the room.

"Can you help me get dressed Dimitri?" Rose asked softly.

I knew that it hurt Rose to have to rely on me for such a basic task. Every time she had to ask me for help, her voice went quiet and soft, barely masking the pain that she felt.

"Of course," I replied, my voice just as soft as hers.

I helped her change into jeans, a red tank top and black cardigan. I carried her into her wheelchair.

"Just let me fix my hair first," Rose whispered when I suggested leaving.

I watched her wheel herself into the bathroom and shut _and lock_ the door. Suspicious, I leaned my ear against the door. Straining to hear what she was doing, I pushed myself as close to the door as I could get. I heard quiet sobs escaping Roza's mouth, some sniffling, then a soft gasp of pain and a tiny moan.

I moved away from the door and into the now-empty living room. I collapsed down on the couch and put my head in my hands. I knew what she was doing. Rose was cutting herself. She was... how had she put it when Lissa was doing it? She was causing physical pain to take her mind off of the mental pain.

As much as it pained me to admit it, I knew that at the moment, Rose needed this. So as hard as it was, I would let her go... for now. I'd already been expecting depression to start up... what with all the sleeping. The second she fell asleep, I'd check her wrists. Once the cuts began getting dangerously deep, then I'd get her some help.

Some small part in the back of mind told me that it was dangerous to leave Rose depressed without help, but the rest of me didn't want her to hate me. I was worried but I couldn't bear it if she pushed me away. I knew that she needed some way to cope with what had happened to her and who was I to deny her that? What she was doing was unhealthy but I couldn't bring myself to tell _her_ that.

I didn't know what to do. I'd always told myself that I'd do whatever I could to keep Rose safe and healthy. And in theory that was fine. But in practice, keeping her safe and healthy meant betraying and hurting her in a way I'd never done before. I was at a crossroad and for once in my life; I had no idea what to do.


	12. Chapter 12 The Picnic

**A/N: SORRY FOR THE LENGTH OF THIS CHAPTER. I AM NOW HALFWAY THROUGH MY EXAMS. AFTER NEXT WEEKS UPDATES WILL (HOPEFULLY) BECOME MORE FREQUENT.**

**THANKS TO MY REVIEWERS- LOVENTHERUSSIAN, RPCHOSEN16 AND TWILIGHTERNPROUD. I LOVE GETTING REVIEWS AND WOULD LOVE, LOVE, LOVE TO GET MORE REVIEWS.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Academy but technicalities.**

Chapter Twelve The Picnic... Or The Mad Hatter's Tea Party

RPOV

The picnic was the worst idea anyone had ever had. Worse than the idiot who chose to call donuts 'junk food'. Worse than Victor and Tasha's plans of revolution. Worse than my own choice to run outside the safety of the wards and fight Strigoi, a decision that left me in my current situation.

Well maybe the idea wasn't _that_ bad, but it was close. The entire atmosphere was depressing and despite my friends' fake, freakishly large smiles, I felt down. Being out in a park made me miss the freedom I used to possess. I missed running and jumping and dancing but most of all I missed walking and being able to look after myself.

Depression and other dark, painful thoughts welled up in my mind. To distract myself, I purposely pushed down on my self-inflicted shallow wrist wounds. A brief pain flared up within me and I fought to hide the small satisfaction the pain bought me.

We sat at one of the wooden table-and-bench sets, with a table cloth and food spread out in the centre. By 'we' I meant myself, Dimitri, Lissa, Christian, Mia and Eddie. Thankfully, my parents had decided _not_ to come with us and make this already awkward gathering more awkward.

I took some donuts and jelly beans, my two favourite foods, more out of habit and politeness than actual hunger. I nibbled at the donuts, taking crumb-sized bites.

"Rose, how are the donuts?" Lissa asked me, most likely in an attempt to include me in the small talk, because the 'big talk' involved talking about the big topics around court and the biggest one of which was me.

"Good," my voice sounded weak and toneless, something that was becoming a regular occurrence for me.

"They're your favourites, strawberry and musk icing," she said happily.

I took a larger bite to make Lissa feel as though her idea wasn't the worst idea in the world.

"You have to have them made specially..." I realised.

"The Court chefs don't mind doing the Queen a favour," Lissa smiled.

I felt bad... everyone had gone to all this effort and I wasn't enjoying anything. The smiles around the table grew wider. It was weird. I felt like I was at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

"We have potato chips too," Mia said, holding up a bowl of my favourite chips.

"I'm fine. Can we just not talk about food?" I rested my chin on my palm.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

"Since when does Rose _not_ want to talk about food?" Christian broke the tense silence.

"Since now," I shot back, lamely I might add.

"That was lame." Damn, he called me out on it.

"Yeah, well, inactiveness will do that to you," I mumbled under my breath.

Everyone pretended they hadn't heard me. Good. That was the way I liked it.

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW. IT MAKES ME HAPPY.**


	13. Chapter 13 Falling

**A/N: I KNOW THIS CHAPTER IS SHORT. I'M TRYING TO ESTABLISH THE EFFECTS THAT THE PARALYSIS HAS HAD ON ROSE'S LIFE. WARNING- THIS CHAPTER IS A LITTLE ANGSTY AND PSYCHOPATHIC.**

**SHOUT OUTS- MISSHATHAWAY, RPCHOSEN16, LIL-MISS-DISASTER, TWILIGHTERNPROUD AND LOVENTHERUSSIAN. FIVE REVIEWS THIS CHAPTER. LAST CHAPTER WAS THREE. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET IT UP TO SEVEN PLEASE!**

**Disclaimer: Even though I don't own Vampire Academy... I own copies of the book.**

Chapter Thirteen Falling

RPOV

It was decided that despite my contribution to my healing accelerating the process, that form of healing was _far_ too dangerous for both Lissa and I for it to continue. A week had passed.

Every day, I fell further and further. Every day it got harder to claw my way out of the pit. And every day, the darkness started swallowing me up even further. It was getting harder and harder to see the light, which in this case, wasn't the heaven version of life but it was the real world; a place I no longer belonged to.

A week had passed and with every healing I felt lower instead of higher and more hopeful. I felt as though my freedom would never come and I found myself relying more and more on the physical pain to distract myself from the mental pain. My left wrist was now adorned with eight long lines all crossing each other, each line deeper than the previous one.

I was having a horrible day. Everything was getting to be too much. I couldn't focus on anything, except the fact (in my mind anyway) that there was a high possibility that I would never walk again. I was in a state of denial... kind of... it was like in one of those tragic books where the heroine gets cancer and denies the fact that she is going to die, even though it was pretty certain. Well, I was the opposite. I held onto the small possibility that I wouldn't walk again. A small part of me recognised that when I'd pulled the darkness onto me rather than Lissa, part of it remained in my brain, screwing with my thought process. But the majority of me, the part that was being controlled by the darkness was ruling me- making me crazy.

I sat at the table, picking at my lunch. Dimitri was watching me anxiously, his eyes following my every move. I yawned and forced myself to take a big bite of my PB and J sandwich.

"Are you tired? Do you want me to take you to bed?" Dimitri asked.

Had I been myself, I would have made a sexy comment in response. But I wasn't. So I just nodded. Dimitri wheeled me out of the dining room and into our bedroom. He lifted me out of the wheelchair and laid me on our bed. I closed my eyes and asked him to close the door.

Dimitri left. I opened my eyes and looked at the closed door for a moment, then turned my attention to my left wrist. I stroked the eight marks I'd made. Dark thoughts whirled in my mind and all I wanted was to get them out.

_Do it_ a voice whispered to me.

The voice made me shiver- it was menacing and strangely reminded me of Victor Dashkov's voice.

_You know you want to_ another voice, oddly reminiscent of Tasha's, told me.

The small, sane part of me tried to say no, but her voice was weak and hoarse compared to the other two.

_You want it... just do it and everything will be okay_ both voices whispered together.

My entire being ached for the brief flare of pain to distract me from my mental anguish. The voices were right... I wanted it so badly.

_I do want it _my insane side whispered to the voices.

_So do it_ they replied.

With trembling hands, I pulled open my bedside drawer and pulled out the razor I'd started keeping there. I held my left wrist up and plunged the razor into my flesh. I bought it down my wrist, pushing it deeper than I'd ever dared to go. Blood welled up and began rushing down my arm. I suddenly felt sleepy and dizzy. With shaky, weak hands, I pulled my sleeve down and closed my eyes, suddenly exhausted.

Blood dripped down my arm as I succumbed to the darkness.

**A/N: REVIEW PLEASE.**


	14. Chapter 14 Suicide

**A/N: I THINK THIS IS ONE OF MY LONGEST CHAPTERS YET. THIS CHAPTER IS A LITTLE ANGSTY LIKE THE LAST ONE, WITH SOME FLUFFY MARSHMALLOW CLOUDS AT THE END.**

**SHOUT OUTS- BRITTY12071992, , JAYMA94, ELENA DANCELOVER05, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17 AND RPCHOSEN16. SIX REVIEWS LAST CHAPTER LETS SEE IF WE CAN GET TO SEVEN.**

**Disclaimer: My name is **_**not**_** Richelle Mead, nor will it ever be... unfortunately.**

Chapter Fourteen Suicide

DPOV

I scrubbed at the dishes absently, lost in my own thoughts. Rose was getting more and more distant every day and it worried me. Every night when I checked her wrist I would find another cut. She had eight so far and it was getting to the stage where I was too afraid to check for more.

But of course, I still was. How could I not make sure that she wasn't cutting too deep? I needed to find a way to help her without betraying her. I gripped the plate I was holding hard in my hands as I thought.

The plate clang-ed as it shattered and fell into the sink. I cursed in Russian at the feel of the glass digging into my palms. I dropped the remains of the plate that I still held and examined my palms. There was a small cut on the right one. Damn.

I groaned and tiptoed into my room, careful not to wake my sleeping Roza. I tiptoed into the bathroom and pulled a bandage out of the cupboard. I wrapped it around and around my cut and pinned it up so that it would stay on there, absorbing the blood. I began tiptoeing out and then stopped, realising I had left the sponge in our bathroom sink.

I turned to grab it, knocking the toothbrush holder as I did. I winced at the sound of the toothbrushes clattering to the floor and tensed, waiting for Rose to wake up.

She didn't.

I breathed a sigh of relief and bent down to pick up the toothbrushes. I gripped the sponge tightly in my hand as I turned and began walking out. I caught sight of Rose as I left. She hadn't moved once... She hadn't even stirred since I'd entered the room. That wasn't like her. Normally she was a very restless sleeper, mumbling and tossing and turning (well, not so much the moving anymore). And what was that in her hand?

I caught sight of the silver and stepped closer to the bed, putting the sponge down on the dresser. Her right hand clutched a small, silver razor, with a tiny patch of red. My blood went cold as I turned my attention to her other arm. The normally grey sleeve was a bright, bloody red colour.

It didn't take long for me to work out that the small cuts she had been doing shouldn't have drawn that much blood. And by that point I was already at her side, yanking her sleeve up. I gasped in horror at the sight before me. This cut was going down her wrists not across them. The cut was deep and I knew instantly that this was a cut that danced with suicide... no scratch that... This _was_ suicide...

Well, _attempted_ suicide, because there was no way I would let the woman I loved die that easily. The moment I saw her cut she was in my arms and I was running as fast as I could to the infirmary. I would call Lissa and her parents once I got there.

The second I told the nurse what had happened, everyone launched into action. Rose was suddenly out of my arms and lying on a hospital bed. She was wheeled into surgery for blood transfusions, stitches and god knows what else.

I had to wait in the waiting room- one of the most agonising waits of my life. The wait almost rivalled the wait when she went into surgery after being shot. _Almost_. Then she hadn't had a pulse before the guardians had pulled me away. I'd felt her pulse before I'd taken her to the infirmary. It was faint, but still there and that reassured me. Rose had bought herself back from the dead; she could bring herself back from this.

But last time, she'd been shot protecting Lissa. This time, she'd cut herself. Worry welled up in me as I realised that this time she might not want to come back.

"Dimitri," Lissa's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

I looked up at her, "She cut herself," I choked out.

Lissa's face darkened and she gripped Christian's hand tighter.

"I know. I asked the doctors to alert me if you or Rose was ever in the hospital. They called me when you bought her in."

She sat beside me, with Christian beside her. I put my head back in my hands, pushing my hair out of my eyes.

"They said there were eight other cuts on her wrists," Lissa said softly.

I nodded, "She's been making one a day."

"You _knew_?" Lissa shrieked angrily.

I swallowed, prepared to face Lissa's wrath, "I heard her doing it and I've been checking her wrists every night. The cuts weren't deep. I didn't want her to feel betrayed."

"So you let her keep cutting herself?" Lissa demanded.

"The same way she let you," I reminded her.

She flushed as I continued, "I have agonised for days as to how to fix this without breaking her trust."

"Her trust?"

"Yes. Rose trusts me to protect her and be there for her. She wasn't in danger... well, I _thought_ she wasn't! Something happened... something made her do this!" my voice broke on the last part.

Lissa took my hand in hers, "She's Rose. She'll fight through it all... just like she did when she was shot."

"You forget... she didn't want to die when she was shot. This time, she cut herself with the intent to die," I said softly.

Lissa cringed and it was silent for a moment.

"This wasn't Rose," she said positively, "This was the darkness. It's taken over her... I know it has."

"How can you be sure?" I asked.

"I didn't pay much attention to it before. The darkness is usually spread around her aura, but since she helped with the healing, the darkness has been heavier at the top of her aura. When she held it up there, part of it must have stayed in her brain. It's causing a chemical imbalance that's making her depressed. It's been fading slowly... little parts must be seeping out when she makes the cuts. Hopefully this time has let most of it out," Lissa explained.

I considered it, "How can we stop the darkness from messing with her mind?"

"Antidepressants helped with me. The doctors will suggest them to her anyway; that and counselling. Hopefully they will keep the darkness at bay until I can fix this."

"Lissa, _you_ don't need to fix this. _We_ need to fix this. You, me, Rose, her parents, anyone else who loves her... we just need to give her support," I corrected.

Christian spoke up then, "Well include me on that list. Things haven't been the same without my annoying little sister."

I smiled at Christian- he had really become a true friend over the past few months.

"Sister?" Lissa smiled, happy that her boyfriend and her best friend were so close.

"Well, sister-in-law," he corrected teasingly.

She rested her head against his chest, her hand still squeezed around mine, offering me strength and comfort.

"She'll be okay, Dimitri," Lissa whispered.

Then we sat together in silence, the three members of a family, waiting for our missing piece to come out.

**A/N: REVIEW PLEASE.**


	15. Chapter 15 She's Awake

**A/N: EXAMS ARE FINISHED (WOOP, WOOP) SO I'LL BE BACK TO UPDATING MORE FREQUENTLY, HOPEFULLY. THIS CHAPTER IS A STILL A LITTLE DEPRESSING AND ANGSTY BUT THE ENDING IS HAPPIER.**

**SHOUT OUTS- BRITTY12071992, RPCHOSEN16, JAYMA94, DIMITRIROSEANGEL AND AOD4I. YOU GUYS ROCK. **

**TO MY OTHER READERS- COME ON GUYS, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW! AIMING FOR SEVEN. I WON'T UPDATE UNLESS I GET SEVEN REVIEWS.**

**Disclaimer: All characters, places and recognisable details belong to Richelle Mead. I take no credit for her genius ideas.**

Chapter Fifteen She's Awake

DPOV

We'd been waiting for hours. Rose had come in and out of surgery, but we were yet to hear of any improvement. She still hadn't woken.

Lissa had cried herself to sleep in Christian's arms and then woken up after an hour. I'd had the hospital call Rose's parents and they now sat with me, both silent, just staring at the floor. Mia and Eddie had turned up after Christian had called them. Of us all, Mia was the most functional, forcing herself to be useful by running errands- to our house to get Rose clothes for when she woke up, going on coffee and food runs, asking the doctors if there was any news on Rose... Mia was doing anything she could to be useful.

A doctor approached us and asked if we were the family of Rosemarie Hathaway.

"I'm her boyfriend," I said softly.

"I'm her sister," Lissa added.

"And we're her parents," Abe finished.

I was surprised that the doctor had to ask us if we were Rose's family. In a Moroi society, everyone knew _everyone_. As I studied the young Moroi man, I realised that he was new to Court and probably barely recognised Lissa as Queen.

"I'd prefer to share this news only with Rosemarie's immediate family..." the doctor began.

"I'm her boyfriend," I protested, "I _live_ with her! I _am_ her immediate family!"

The doctor opened his mouth to speak, but Lissa stood up and interrupted him.

"Hello, Doctor," she held out her hand, smiling, "I'm Rose's sister, Lissa Dragomir."

The doctor's eyes went wide as he recognised her name. He bowed and began speaking apologetically, "Oh, your Majesty. I am _so_ sorry!"

She waved him off, "Please... today I am not a Queen, I am just a worried woman, waiting for my sister to come out of surgery. Please, how is she?"

The doctor gestured for Lissa to sit down.

"Rosemarie got out of surgery two hours ago. We had to give her a blood transfusion and her wounds, of course, required stitches. The anaesthetic should have worn off an hour ago, but unfortunately Rosemarie isn't awake yet."

My stomach sunk as I whispered, "What does that mean?"

Oh God. Oh God. Oh God. Please no. Please, not Rose.

"It appears that Rosemarie's brain has put itself into a coma. If she hasn't woken in an hour, we will have to do a procedure to check out her brain," the doctor said softly.

I closed my eyes, "Can... can we see her?"

"You can only see her two at a time," he said, turning away to leave.

I swallowed. Oh God. What could I do? I wanted nothing more than to go and sit by Rose's side and _never_ leave again. But I knew she had other people wanting to see her. My brain was telling me to let her parents and Lissa go see her first, but my heart... my heart was telling me to be selfish and be the first one in her room.

My heart pounded in my chest as I whispered, "You guys can go first."

I told myself that I would get to spend more time with Rose if I was last, but watching her parents walk in felt so wrong. They came out after ten minutes and sat back down. Lissa stood up to go in, but rather than go in with Christian, she gestured for me to come with her.

It took every ounce of my self control _not_ to run into her room. Breathing deeply, I forced myself to walk slowly beside Lissa.

Rose lying peacefully in the bed took my breath away. Her brown-black hair fanned over the pillow, her pink lips forming a perfect 'O', her chest rising and falling gently. The illusion of peacefulness was shattered when I sat down beside her bed and took my hand in mine, my eyes roving over the bandage that hid her stitches.

Lissa sat on the opposite side of her, her eyes studying the space around Rose. I stroked Rose's hand, over and over again. Tears welled up in my eyes and I leant my forehead down on her arm.

"I knew it!" Lissa cried suddenly.

"What?" I jumped back into a sitting position.

"We need to get her on antidepressants... the darkness is putting pressure on her brain."

My mouth dropped, "How?"

"It's become a physical manifestation... a large black ball of shadows; pressing down on her brain... we need to get her on antidepressants... _now_!" Lissa stood up and left the room.

I stood up and gently put my lips to Rose's forehead, "I love you so much Rose. Please wake up."

I sat back down, stroking her hand as I waited for Lissa to return. When she did, she was with a doctor. The doctor put some liquid into Rose's drip and told us she should be awake soon. Lissa sat down again and we waited.

It didn't take long... only about 20 minutes. Rose's breathing hitched, alerting both Lissa and I that she was waking up. Lissa stood up and ran out of the room. She came back a moment later, with Abe, Janine, Christian, Mia and Eddie.

"What is it?"

"What's wrong?"

"Is she okay?"

I drowned out their questions and waited until Rose's eyelids fluttered open.

"She's awake."

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW **


	16. Chapter 16 Seeing the Light

**A/N: THIS CHAPTER IS SORT OF A FILLER, JUST A SUMMARY OF ROSE'S EXPERIENCES WHILE UNCONSCIOUS. SOMETHING IS REVEALED AND IF ANYONE CAN PICK IT OUT... WELL VIRTUAL ICE CREAMS FOR THEM!**

**AHHHHHH! I GOT SEVEN REVIEWS! I WAS SO HAPPY I SCREAMED! TO DIMITRIROSEANGEL, , BRITTY12071992, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17, AOD4I, RPCHOSEN16 AND JUSTPROMISE, YOU GUYS ROCK! THANK YOU SO MUCH! LOVE YOU GUYS!**

**WE GOT SEVEN LAST CHAPTER SO LETS TRY TO GET EIGHT REVIEWS THIS CHAPTER!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, Vampire Academy doesn't belong to me.**

Chapter Sixteen Seeing the Light

RPOV

There was darkness everywhere. It was so black and dark and heavy that it was pressing on me everywhere and I felt as though I was suffocating, unable to breathe.

I could hear voices chattering in my ear. I knew the words they said but I didn't know who they were, nor was I able to understand what they meant.

"We need her papers."

"... blood type..."

"Get her into surgery."

"... call her family."

"... careful... broke her spine."

"She's crashing!"

And then... nothing. The silence was blissful and I felt myself floating away. Suddenly my eyes were blinded by beautiful, silver light. It started oozing from the centre of the darkness until it was suddenly everywhere.

"Rose," an eerily familiar voice called, "Rose, you have to choose."

I stood up and it took me a moment to realise that I shouldn't have been able to do that. As the events of my past came flooding back to me, I checked my left wrist... it was clear.

I looked down at myself. I stood barefoot in a knee length white sun dress with my hair flowing down my back. I thought back to the last thing I remembered. It came rushing back- the voices, the razor, the _blood_! Oh my God!

I gasped in realisation, "Oh my God! I'm dead aren't I? Oh my God!"

The voice responded with, "Not yet, Rose. You need to choose."

"Choose what?" I asked cautiously, "And who _are_ you anyway?"

The person... or angel or whatever stepped out of the shadows... and my mouth dropped.

"Someone you've known a long time," Mason said.

"Oh my God! Mason," I cried, wrapping my arms around him.

"Hey, Rose," he chuckled, hugging me back.

"I've missed you so much, Mase," I whispered softly.

"I've been watching you Rose. I'm so proud of you... you're so strong," he said softly.

I pulled back incredulously, "Mase, I've killed myself. I'm not strong at all."

"Rose, that wasn't you... that was the darkness," he replied, rubbing my hair cheekily.

"I... It's so hard, Mase. I'm in a wheelchair," I said softly.

"I know. But _if_ you go back, you're going to walk again."

His words suddenly registered, "_If_ I go back? What do you mean, _if_?"

"You can choose Rose... choose whether you go back and fight against the darkness and the wheelchair, or if you come with me and leave the living behind."

"So... I'm _not_ dead?"

"Not yet. You're in surgery... just on the edge of life and death."

"How is everyone?" I whispered.

"Not good. Your parents are in shock, Lissa won't stop crying, Eddie is blaming himself for not protecting us, Mia is the only one functioning and even then that's only because she's barely keeping the worry and fear away and... Belikov is destroyed."

Mentioning Dimitri bought up memories of the last months of Mason's life.

"I'm so sorry, Mason. I shouldn't have used you to get over Dimitri. If I'd never gone after you... you might still be alive right now," Tears welled up in my eyes.

"I was pretty mad at first Rose, but after watching you and Belikov, I realised how much you love each other. I also realised that even if you hadn't tried to pursue a relationship with me, I still would have gone back in there to save you. I don't blame you Rose. Don't blame yourself," he explained.

I wiped the tears from my cheeks, "I don't anymore. And as much as I want to stay here with you, I _have_ to go back! I _can't_ leave them. I _need_ to fight back."

He smiled knowingly and amused, "Of course you do, Rose Hathaway never goes down without a fight."

"Damn straight," I smiled.

Mason hugged me tightly and whispered, "Now I don't wanna see you here again until you're old and gray, ya hear?"

I nodded, "I'm gonna miss you Mase. You were always my best guy friend. Goodbye."

As I whispered the last word, Mason pulled away from me.

"Bye Rose," he murmured.

Mason moved backwards and the light came back together until it shrank into nothing. I felt myself flying backwards and suddenly, I could feel sheets and hear beeping. Slowly, I heard two familiar voices... the reasons I'd decided to come back.

Dimitri and Lissa were talking about... something... I could only hear snippets.

"I love you so much Rose. Please wake up," Dimitri whispered.

I heard more voices and the chatter made my head swim and ache. I swallowed hard and everything I'd been thinking became more groggy and harder to remember.

My eyelids fluttered open and everything went from fuzzy to focussed.

"She's awake."

**A/N: REVIEW PLEASE!**


	17. Chapter 17 Going Crazy

**A/N: THIS CHAPTER IS SORT OF LEADING UP TO THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS WHERE SOMETHING BIG WILL HAPPEN SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME WHILE I ESTABLISH ALL OF THIS.**

**I ONLY GOT THREE REVIEWS THIS CHAPTER... COME ON GUYS PLEASE REVIEW. I WASN'T EVEN GOING TO PUT THIS CHAPTER UP YET, BUT I FELT GUILTY BECAUSE IT'S THE WEEKEND.**

**TO MY REVIEWERS, TWILIGHTERNPROUD, AOD4I AND RPCHOSEN16. YOU GUYS ROCK! VIRTUAL LOLLYPOPS FOR YOU THREE!**

**Disclaimer: Me + Vampire Academy = Fantasy**

**Richelle Mead + Vampire Academy = Reality**

**Consider this story disclaimed.**

Chapter Seventeen Going Crazy

RPOV

Mia and Eddie were the first to leave. They left after an hour, Mia had to work and Eddie had a shift. My parents were the next to leave. They stayed for an hour and a half, trying to make sure I was okay. Once they're worries were sated, they left me alone with Lissa and Dimitri (and Christian by default).

Lissa waited until she knew my parents were out of ear shot to move closer to my bed and hit my shoulder forcefully, which, in my current state, hurt.

"OW! What was that for?" I cried, rubbing my shoulder.

"Rosemarie Hathaway, if you _ever_ put me through that again, I will kill you and then bring you back so that I can kill you again!" she threatened, tears filling her eyes.

"You didn't have to hit me," I complained.

Dimitri looked at me anxiously, his eyes roaming my body to make sure that I was okay.

"Do you know how worried I was?" tears flowed down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck.

"I'm sorry Liss," I whispered back.

"Don't you _ever_ do that to me again! I don't know if I have _ever_ prayed so hard for something. Not even when you were _shot_ did I pray so hard for you to make it because in the back of my mind, I knew the Rose-Hathaway-fighting-spirit would _not_ go down without a fight. And then you go and do this? I could kill you myself!" she said fiercely.

Tears welled up in my eyes, "I'm so, so, so sorry Liss."

She pulled back, laughing through the tears, "Only you can make me this crazy Rose. Only you."

The word crazy picked at my brain. I suddenly remembered the last moments before I ended up in the hospital. The voices... Tasha and Victor...

"Oh God!" I gasped, swallowing and blinking incessantly as the memories threatened to take over.

"Rose?" Lissa asked, concerned.

"Roza, what's wrong?" Dimitri gripped my hand tightly.

"Rose?" Christian said.

I blinked twice more and forced myself to break away from the memories. I was panting hard and staring up at the ceiling once it was over.

"Rose?" Lissa was calling me.

I blinked and mumbled, confused, "What?"

"Rose, what the hell was that?" Christian asked.

I waited for my breathing to even out, considering whether or not I should tell them.

"Rose," Dimitri's tone was concerned.

"I... nothing. I'm fine. I just... nothing, I'm fine," I lied.

Dimitri flashed me a look to say he wasn't buying it.

"Are you in pain or something?" Christian asked.

"No, I'm fine."

"Then what was that?" Lissa demanded.

"I... um... I..." I stuttered.

I felt horribly overwhelmed. I didn't want to tell anyone that I was going crazy. I felt full of fear and confusion and hurt.

"Rose, Roza," Dimitri's eyes locked on mine, "Please... tell us."

I knew he could sense the fear in my eyes. How could I tell everyone I loved that I was going crazy? I was hearing voices... I felt like I could see my future and it involved either a gravestone or a mental institution and a straitjacket.

"I made the wrong choice," I mumbled, thinking of my previous conversation with Mason.

"Rose, what are you talking about?" Lissa demanded.

I shook my head, "I can't, Liss. I just... I can't."

Dimitri groaned in frustration, "God dammit, Rose! I love you and all but sometimes you can be the most infuriating woman in the world!"

His words made me angry... furious, actually, "Well you try and tell your best friend and your boyfriend that you're going _crazy_!" I yelled.

My eyes went wide as I realised what I had just said. My hand clapped over my mouth.

"Rose we already know that you're crazy," Christian said snarkily.

I thought his comment was more out of habit, but it made me feel self-conscious and angry.

"Shut the hell up Pyro, I'm being serious!" I yelled.

"Sorry... habit," he mumbled.

"Rose, what do you mean by 'crazy'?" Lissa asked.

I swallowed hard, knowing I couldn't get out of this, "I um... Before I... Before I cut myself, I um... I heard something."

"Heard what?" Dimitri asked, squeezing my hand reassuringly.

I took a deep breath, "Voices... I heard voices."

"Voices?" Dimitri pressed for more information.

"I heard um..." I flashed Christian an apologetic look before continuing, "Victor and Tasha... or voices sounding like them."

Lissa studied me for a moment and then spoke, "Well you're not going crazy, that's for sure. It was the darkness, messing with your mind."

I frowned, "What?"

"Well, think about it. Psychosis is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, so why can't the darkness cause this?" she explained.

"How do you know all this? You sound like you've been reading psychology books or something."

She shrugged, "Perhaps. I need ways to deal with the darkness."

I nodded, suddenly feeling exhausted after the long day. I yawned and relaxed back into my bed.

"You should get some rest. We'll be back tomorrow," Lissa stood up and kissed my cheek.

I smiled sleepily, "I'll be out of here in no time Liss, don't worry."

She laughed softly as she took Christian's hand and left the room. I waited a moment before slowly using my hands to shuffle over to the edge of my bed.

"Rose, what are you doing?" Dimitri asked amused.

"Making room," I explained.

"For what?"

"For you, Comrade!"

He smiled and didn't waste any time in removing his shoes and climbing into bed beside me. I laid my head on his chest, snuggling into his warmth.

"You really scared me today Rose," he said after a moment.

"I'm sorry. I just... It just got overwhelming... I felt hopeless. This whole paralysis thing has really screwed with my mind, you know?" I said sleepily.

"You're gonna be okay Rose, I promise you, okay?" Dimitri whisper was the last thing I heard as I fell to sleep.

**A/N: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!**


	18. Chapter 18 Tell Me Why

**A/N: THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY SHORT CHAPTER. I'M REALLY SORRY, IT'S ANOTHER FILLER... THE NEXT FEW WILL BE. I RETURNED TO SCHOOL TODAY AFTER TWO WEEKS STUDY BREAK AND I'M A PART OF MY SCHOOL'S PRODUCTION WHICH IS GOING ON IN TWO WEEKS, SO I'M GOING TO BE **_**VERY**_** BUSY WITH THAT.**

**SEVEN REVIEWS LAST CHAPTER. TO BRITTY12071992, TWILIGHTERNPROUD, AOD4I, RPCHOSEN, CHICKROCKGUITAR, SARAH AND KITTENXXKISSES, THANK YOU GUYS. **

**SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO KITTENXXKISSES WHO WENT THROUGH AND REVIEWED ALL THE CHAPTERS. YOU ROCK! THANKS SO MUCH.**

**THIS CHAPTER IS FOR CHICKROCK GUITAR WHO ASKED FOR ROSE AND DIMITRI TO HAVE A HEART TO HEART ON HER CUTTING.**

**I'VE BEEN ASKED TO INCLUDE ADRIAN IN THE STORY. UNFORTUNATELY LAST SACRIFICE RUINED HIM FOR ME AND IF I WRITE HIM INTO THIS STORY I'LL MOST LIKELY KILL HIM OR SOMETHING TO THAT EXTENT. SORRY, BUT I REALLY CAN'T SEE ADRIAN OR SYDNEY JOINING THIS STORY.**

**Disclaimer: So, I don't own Vampire Academy. In the words of Selena Gomez, "Tell me something I don't know." **

Chapter Eighteen Tell Me Why

DPOV

Rose was let out of hospital after three days, on the condition that she agreed to take antidepressants everyday _and_ see a counsellor twice a week. She wasn't exactly happy about the pills or the counselling, but she agreed to it. It meant getting out of her least favourite place, the hospital.

I couldn't believe the difference a week had made. Lissa had managed to heal almost all of Rose's nerves. We had about two weeks worth of healing left. And in the meantime, Rose was dealing with her 'wheelchair downtime' as she called it, by working on herself. She spent hours moisturising her skin to reverse the effects of the weather on it (not that you could tell... she was always beautiful) and with no jobs to distract us, we were closer than ever.

But, there was one thing we hadn't spoken about... not since the hospital at least... her suicide attempt. Since coming out of the hospital, she'd been determined to move forward with her life by not dwelling on the past. I knew it was probably the best thing for all of us, but there was something I needed to know.

"Rose," I said slowly, resting my chin on the top of her head, tightening my arms around her slim body.

"Hmm..." she whispered her eyes on the television screen.

"Rose, we need to talk about last week."

As I suspected, she tensed, her hand automatically moving to her scars.

"I'm watching the movie, Dimitri," she said finally, focussing her attention on the old action film playing.

"I've been patient Rose... I've waited. But we need to talk about what happened," I pressed.

"I already told you, I heard voices from the darkness... there's nothing else to say," she said defensively.

"You know I don't believe that. Why didn't you talk to me Rose?" I asked softly.

"Because I felt as though I was all alone. I _knew_ I wasn't but the darkness convinced me I was. Dimitri I really don't want to talk about this. I just want to move on with my life," Rose insisted.

"And, I get that, I do, Rose, really. But I need to know why you didn't feel you could come to me," I pleaded.

"Please don't take this as me not trusting you, because you know that's not it at _all_!" her uncanny gift of knowing _exactly_ what I was thinking was spot on as usual.

"How do you always know?" I whispered incredulously.

"Because I know you, Comrade," she whispered back.

"Oh really?" I raised an eyebrow, even though she couldn't see it.

"Yes. I know that you secretly want to be a cowboy. I know you still feel guilt over your time as a Strigoi. And I know that, secretly, you _love_ the name Comrade," she said playfully.

"You forgot one," I replied softly.

"And what would that be?" she whispered.

"You forgot that you know that I am truly, madly and deeply in love with you," I whispered, kissing her lips gently.

**A/N: REVIEWS MAKE ME HAPPY PLEASE REVIEW!**


	19. Chapter 19 Counselling

**A/N: THIS IS ANOTHER SHORT CHAPTER. I'M REALLY SORRY, I'VE HAD LIKE FIVE ASSIGNMENTS PLUS PRODUCTION... I'M JUST REALLY OVERWHELMED AND I'LL TRY AND UPDATE ASAP.**

**ON A BRIGHTER SIDE, EIGHT REVIEWS! I LOVE YOU ALL, THANK YOU TO BRITTY12071992, SARAH, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17, RPCHOSEN16, DIMKA'S CHICK, MISSHATHAWAY, BELIKOV AND KITTENXXKISSES.**

**Disclaimer: So, I don't own Vampire Academy. I am in no way Richelle Mead **

Chapter Nineteen Counselling

RPOV

Let me just say, I _wasn't_ happy about the counselling. Since going on the anti-depressants, I felt back to normal. The pills kept the darkness at bay, keeping me sane. But the doctor who had dealt with my 'case' was new to court and had absolutely no experience in spirit. He'd insisted I go to counselling, and unfortunately for me, my friends had agreed it was a good idea.

So now, every Tuesday and Friday, I had to spend half an hour talking to Doctor Melanie James, a Dhampir counsellor. She was a rarity, having gone into counselling to help troubled Dhampirs who weren't understood by Moroi. Dr. Melanie was very good, very expensive and very, _very_ popular. My 'case' being so extreme and my status as the Queen's best friend made me a high priority to her.

I sat in the waiting room with Dimitri. He'd come to help me navigate my wheelchair through court, something I was still getting used to. I was taking _every_ opportunity to tell him how pointless this was.

"This is going to be stupid... she doesn't even know about spirit! How can she help me if she doesn't know what _was_ wrong with me?" I asked.

"Just... go into this open-minded," Dimitri advised.

"Come _on_ Dimitri... this counselling thing isn't going to stick!" I snorted.

He raised an eyebrow, "Don't even go there Rose. Do you know how badly you scared me? I can't go through that again. _You_ can't go through that again!"

I sighed in defeat.

"Rosemarie Hathaway?" the receptionist called.

Dimitri stood up and pushed me into the doctor's office.

"I'll be outside when you're ready to go," he kissed my forehead.

I thanked him and turned my attention to Dr. Melanie.

"Miss Hathaway," she didn't look up from her file.

"Doctor," I nodded, folding my hands in my lap.

She looked up and blinked in surprise at what I assumed to be my wheelchair.

"I suppose you haven't gotten to that part of my file yet, huh?" I asked jokingly.

She shook her head, "No, I've gotten there. I just am surprised to see you looking so good after what you went through."

I shrugged, "Spirit is a marvellous thing I suppose."

"I see," Dr. Melanie closed my file.

"I just want to make it clear that I _don't_ want to be here. The anti-depressants are doing their job and I feel great," I clarified.

"And why don't you want to be here?" Dr. Melanie folded her arms.

I groaned internally. It had started and this was suspiciously reminiscent of my counselling back at the Academy with Deidre... ah, simpler times...

"Miss Hathaway?" I broke out of my train of thought.

"Oh," I blinked, "I guess I don't want to be here because I don't think I have anything to gain from this. It's pointless and I'm a guardian... my feelings don't matter."

"Why do you feel that?"

"Because it's true. They come first. This whole thing, me being here, it's hypocritical. The guardian mantra is drilled into us over and over and then I slip up in my duties and let myself feel something that wasn't protectiveness for the Moroi and they put me in _therapy_? What I feel doesn't matter. Only the Moroi matter."

"You can't believe that Miss Hathaway. You're in love with a Dhampir. Surely he matters."

"Look, I'm not saying Dimitri isn't important to me. But when I'm on duty, the Moroi _have_ to be the only thing that matter. They have to be! That's my job. That's what I've been told to do."

"Miss Hathaway, I'm going to be blunt. This manner of talking shows a lack of self-esteem."

I snorted, "Are you serious? I'm one of the most awesome guardians around. I know that. I'm just saying that my duty comes first and that duty is to protect Moroi. Surely you know the mantra."

She nodded, "I do, but I'm not sure I believe it."

"Why? What the Moroi do matters. It's what we've been taught."

"Why are you so happy to go along with _exactly_ what society dictates? Are you a follower, Miss Hathaway?" Dr. Melanie asked.

"I just believe in the tradition that's been passed down. They come first." I struggled to remain calm.

"Do you truly believe that Miss Hathaway?"

"It's Rose," I corrected, "And, yes, I do."

The questioning continued until half an hour was up. Doctor Melanie wheeled me out of her office commenting on our 'good progress' and 'my issues being resolved' and whatnot. I snorted as Dimitri took my wheelchair handlebars from the doctor and wheeled me out of the building.

As a movie I once watched stated- What a Crock.

**A/N: REVIEWS MAKE ME HAPPY PLEASE REVIEW!**


	20. Chapter 20 Progress

**A/N: AN INCREDIBLY SHORT CHAPTER. I **_**WILL**_** UPDATE TOMORROW AND THE CHAPTER WILL BE LONGER. PINKY SWEARS.**

**OKAY... SHOUT OUTS- LOVENTHERUSSIAN17, DIMKAANDROZA, AOD4L, RPCHOSEN16, SARAH, KITTENXXKISSES, BRITTY12071992, DIMKA'S CHICK AND MIA OZERA (YES IDIOT YOU GET A SHOUT OUT TOO ;P) THANK YOU ALL I LOVE YOUS SO MUCH XD**

**THIS CHAPTER SHOULD REALLY BE SELF-EXPLANATORY AS TO WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN NEXT. GUESS FOR VIRTUAL COOKIES **

**Disclaimer: My name is PrincessRedfern, not Richelle Mead **

Chapter Twenty Progress

DPOV

"Well?" I asked as Lissa backed away from Rose, barely panting.

"I still have the general sense that my legs are there, but other than that, there's nothing," Rose said from her place on the bed.

"It's done... and it worked," Lissa said confidently, "When you wake up tomorrow, you'll be able to feel your legs."

"Are you sure?" Rose asked, trying to keep the hope out of her eyes.

Lissa nodded, "Definitely. Don't get me wrong, you're going to have to work hard to get back to where you were, so definitely don't throw out the wheelchair, but you won't be paralysed anymore."

"Really?" Rose bit her lip anxiously.

"Rose, I know how hard the last two weeks have been on you, but this _will_ work!" Lissa reassured her.

Tears welled up in her eyes, "Thank you Liss."

I studied Rose intently. She'd had to wait up late for Lissa to come see her and I could see the exhaustion plain on her face.

"It's getting late," I began.

Lissa nodded, taking the hint, "Call me the second something changes Rose!"

Lissa wrapped her arms around Rose and left, "Bye guys."

I climbed into bed beside Rose and wrapped my arms around her. She'd come so far in the past two weeks.

"I love you so much Roza. I'm so proud of you," I kissed her forehead.

"Maybe you shouldn't be," she murmured.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Dimitri... I'm so scared, Dimitri," she whispered.

I smiled, "You silly girl. Of course you're scared. You have every right to be. But it's going to be fine. Tomorrow you're going to wake up and I'm going to help you out of bed and you're going to walk. I _know_ it Rose."

She swallowed, "I don't want to get my hopes up. I can't go back to where I was... I just can't."

"You won't, Roza. I promise," I whispered, holding her tightly until she fell to sleep.

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW.**


	21. Chapter 21 Walking

**A/N: ANOTHER SHORT CHAPTER. I KNOW I PROMISED A LONGER CHAPTER AND **_**TECHNICALLY**_** THIS ONE IS LONGER BUT I HAD REHEARSALS ALL DAY TODAY AND I BURNT MY HAND ON MY HAIR STRAIGHTENER LAST NIGHT (MY RIGHT HAND TOO SO I'M BASICALLY USELESS ) SO I'M KIND OF JUST PLAIN OLD EXHAUSTED.**

**SHOUT OUTS GO TO- SARAH, KITTENXXKISSES, MILIFEMIWAY, , VASILISSA DRAGOMIR, ROZAANDDIMITRI, RPCHOSEN, AOD4L, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17 AND XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX.**

**Disclaimer: I am not an American redhead, therefore I am not Richelle Mead.**

Chapter Twenty One Walking

RPOV

My eyelids fluttered open of their own accord and I groaned as the light blinded me. I squeezed my eyes shut and rolled onto my stomach. I could feel Dimitri's warm body beside me and snuggled into him instinctively. I felt him wrap an arm around my waist and I rested my head on his chest.

"What time is it?" I mumbled against his skin.

"Nine thirty," he replied, yawning.

I rolled off of Dimitri and onto my back, stretching my arms and legs out. I felt Dimitri's eyes on my and turned my head to meet his incredulous expression.

"What did you just do?" he asked excitedly.

"I stretched," I replied, confused.

"You moved your legs," he whispered.

I gasped. I could feel my pyjama pants and the sheets against my legs. I sat up and pulled the covers off of them, wiggling my toes.

"I can feel them! Like, _really_ feel them... not just sense them!" I cried.

Dimitri smiled, wrapping his arms around me, "Let me help you out of bed."

I pulled away, shaking my head, "My legs are fine now!"

"But they'll be weak. You're going to need physical therapy," Dimitri explained climbing out of bed and hurrying around to my side.

He slipped an arm around my waist and took my hand. Ever so slowly, I turned my body so that my legs were hanging over the edge of my bed. Nervously, I touched my feet to the floor, appreciating the feel of the cold floor under me. Dimitri gave me a reassuring look as I raised my body off of the bed, putting weight on my feet.

My breath caught at the pain in my trembling legs and the ache of my feet.

"Rose, are you okay?" Dimitri asked anxiously, dropping my hand and moving to scoop me up.

"I'm fine. It's just a little bit painful," I assured him.

Pushing the pain to the back of my mind, I focussed on raising my left leg to walk. The baby steps I took hurt, but with Dimitri's help, I made it to the kitchen. Dimitri helped me into a stool at the bench and walked to the fridge.

"Eggs and bacon or pancakes?" he asked, hardly able to contain his glee.

"Eggs and bacon please," I suddenly remembered something I had to do.

I waited until Dimitri's back was turned to slip out of my stool and walk slowly to the phone, gripping the bench the whole time and using it to keep me stable.

"Rose, what are you doing?" Dimitri asked as he turned back from the fridge.

I waved the phone as I dialled Lissa's number, ignoring the aches in my legs.

"Sit down!" Dimitri said, putting the food on the bench and hurrying towards me.

I shrugged and put the phone to my ear.

"Hello?"

"Liss, it's Rose."

"Rose. I've been waiting for you to call. Did it work? Can you walk? Is it painful? Are you okay? Do you need me to come over? I'm coming over!" she said hurriedly.

I laughed, "Calm down Liss, I'm fine. But if you could get everyone over here in two hours, you'd be a lifesaver!"

"Literally," I could almost see her grinning.

Dimitri looked frustrated as I remained where I was. He grinned cheekily and scooped me up in his arms. I squealed in laughter.

"Dimitri put me down," I shrieked, "Liss, I have to go!"

I laughed loudly as I hung up and hit Dimitri over the head with the phone (gently, of course.)

"You didn't want to sit down," he said, spinning around with me still in his arms.

"I like this position better," I grinned.

Dimitri's smile got larger, "I like it too," he whispered, pushing his lips onto mine.

We eventually got around to having breakfast and getting ready for our friends to arrive. I was sitting on the couch waiting for them.

"Stop fidgeting," Dimitri whispered in my ear.

"I can't help it," I replied nervously.

There was a knock at the door and I began to stand up. Automatically, Dimitri slipped his arm around my waist, helping me walk slowly to the door. I swung it open to reveal my parents, Mia, Eddie, Lissa and Christian. Their eyes all lit up when they saw me standing.

"Surprise," I whispered as Mia and Lissa burst into tears.

**A/N: REVIEW PLEASE **


	22. Chapter 22 Plans

**A/N: DON'T SHOOT! I'M FINALLY UPDATING AND THIS IS A LONGER CHAPTER. YAY! A FEW PEOPLE ASKED FOR A LEMON... THERE'S A SLIGHT LEMON AT THE END BUT I'M NOT GOING INTO NEARLY AS MUCH DETAIL AS MOST AUTHORS GO INTO- I'M NOT EVEN FIFTEEN YET, AND WHAT I WROTE IN THIS CHAPTER IS AS LEMON-Y AS I'LL GO.**

**SHOUT OUTS GO TO- ROSEANDDIMITRI, DIMKA'S CHICK, KITTENXXKISSES, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17, RPCHOSEN16, SARAH, XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX, BRITTY12071992, AND AOD4L. THANKS GUYS. YOU ARE THE REASON I WRITE.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Academy**

Chapter Twenty Two Plans

RPOV

Both the sobbing Moroi launched themselves at me, sobbing into my shoulders. I stumbled under their weight and felt Dimitri's hands both move to my waist to hold me up.

"Oh my God, Rose it worked!" Lissa sobbed.

"Thank God," Mia whispered over and over again.

I rubbed both their backs soothingly, all the while trying to mask the aching wobbly sensation being felt in my legs. I think Dimitri noticed though because he soon suggested we all go sit inside and talk.

I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I let Dimitri help me back to the couch. It was probably half-shock at me walking and half-astonishment at me actually letting someone look after me. The truth was if I hadn't been doing it for months, it probably wouldn't have happened at all.

"How do you feel?" Lissa sniffled softly, clasping my hand tightly in hers after we were all seated.

I smiled at her small gesture of affection and said, "I'm fine. My legs are just really sore and weak and wobbly. It's so weird... everything feels so new. I always took walking for granted... I just guess I never expected it to be gone."

"So, what happens now?" my Mom asked.

"Physical therapy," Dimitri answered for me.

Everyone nodded while I swallowed. Physical therapy was supposed to be really difficult and push you to your limits. I wanted to be back to where I was but I was so scared of failing.

"Rose?" Mia's voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Huh, what?" I asked, blinking as I focussed back on reality.

"Lissa said she arranged for the hospital at Court to arrange a rehabilitation centre for people in situations like you. So what do you think?" Mia asked.

"About what?" I asked.

"I arranged a room for you, Rose. You can go and stay there until you can walk on your own," Lissa explained beside me.

I blinked in surprise as my mind went into turmoil. The first thing out of my mouth was, "What about Dimitri?"

"I can go with you Rose," he replied, hugging me closer to him.

"Huh? But they won't let you stay with me," I looked up at him.

"Yes they will Rose. I'm sure they wouldn't refuse the Queen's request," Lissa said casually.

"When would I go?" I asked.

"Well," Lissa considered, "I suppose next week. That gives you a few days to adjust to being able to walk and pack and start working slowly on building your strength back up."

I nodded, not listening to the support coming from my friends. I couldn't think. What if I couldn't do it? What if it was too hard?

_No, stop it!_ I told myself, _you're Rose-freaking-Hathaway. You should be in a grave right now but you're not because you're stubborn and you're determined and you're going to fight like hell to survive this._

I instantly thought of the first sign of madness- talking to yourself. No darkness to blame it on this time. With that in mind, I launched myself into the conversation, perhaps a bit _too_ animatedly.

Mom and Dad left first, as per usual, with Mia and Eddie leaving not long after. Lissa and Christian, however, stayed for both lunch and dinner, not leaving until late in the night. When they finally _did _leave, I still hadn't shaken off my fears and doubts.

"What's wrong?" Dimitri asked, climbing into bed beside me.

"Nothing," I replied.

He raised an eyebrow.

"It's nothing," I insisted.

"I don't believe that for a minute Rose," he told me.

"Whatever," I shrugged.

A twinkle emerged in his eye and I became suspicious. Suddenly, his lips were on mine and his arms were around my waist. I moaned and pushed myself closer to him, realising that we hadn't been like this since my 'accident'.

Careful not to hurt my legs, Dimitri rolled on top of me, holding his weight above me. He pulled back from the kiss and stared into my eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

I ignored the question and moved to attach our lips again. He pulled back.

"Answer the question Rose."

I sighed, "Nothing... I'm just... I'm kinda..."

His eyes roamed mine, looking for the answer and in that way of his, he knew, "You're scared."

I nodded slightly, "What if I fail?"

"You won't. You're _Rose Hathaway_. You survived _death_, you'll survive this," he mirrored my earlier thoughts.

"What if I can't?" I whispered.

"You will. You're stubborn as hell, Rose. You won't let a little hiccup get you down."

"This is a hiccup?"

"Okay, so maybe it's closer to a mountain. But, to Rose Hathaway, that's a hiccup."

I laughed, "True... I did defy death... twice."

"Three times actually."

If I could have raised an eyebrow, I would have, "Three times?"

"You saved _me_," he explained.

Joy and pride surged through me, gripping my happy heart. It was the first time he'd ever said that to me.

"Doesn't count," I replied softly, pushing my lips to his.

Dimitri pulled away after a moment and rolled off of me.

"Hey!" I complained.

"We're not going any further than kissing until your legs are stronger."

I thought back to the kitchen, earlier in the morning.

_Flashback_

"_I like this position better," I grinned._

_Dimitri's smile got larger, "I like it too," he whispered, pushing his lips onto mine._

_We ended up on the couch, me on top of him, his back pressed against the couch. His hands weaved their way into my hair, pulling my face closer to his... if that was even possible. We broke apart for a second to catch our breaths. I stared deep into his eyes, basking in the clear love he was portraying._

_I moaned as I pressed my lips to his, my hands working their way under his shirt, running over his perfectly chiselled abs._

_I was just getting into it, when Dimitri pulled back. I pouted and he laughed._

"_Don't you want breakfast?" he laughed._

_My stomach growled at the sound of food, but I ignored it, "Not as much as you."_

"_Oh, Roza," the name made my heart flutter._

"_I've missed you Comrade," I whispered._

"_I've missed you too Roza," he replied, pulling my head down to his._

_End Flashback_

Despite my own fantasies and wishes, we hadn't gone any further than making out... a lot, but nonetheless not what I wanted. Dimitri had claimed it being the time strain I'd put us under by inviting everyone over, but I know knew the real reason. He was afraid to hurt me, just like when I was shot.

"I'm fine, I can handle it," I insisted.

He shook his head, "We've made so much progress, I won't undo that!"

"Please Comrade?" I asked.

"No, Rose."

I pushed him off of me and used my bedside table to climb out of bed.

"Where are you going Rose?" Dimitri called as I slowly used the wall and pieces of furniture to navigate to the bathroom.

"To the bathroom. If you won't give me what I want, then I'll have to get it somewhere else."

"And how are you going to do that?" Dimitri asked amused.

"Well, I have three options- my razor, _all _of my anti-depressants or a little gift Liss got me as a joke when we left Court," I replied snarkily.

Dimitri ignored the first two, knowing that I wasn't serious. However, he did focus on the last comment.

"That better not be what I think it is Rose."

"And what ever do you think it is, Dimitri?" I asked innocently.

"You know very well what I'm talking about," he replied.

"Well, you know how it is," I lied easily, reaching the bathroom, "Being away so long, _all alone_... I have needs, Dimitri..."

I heard footsteps and turned to see Dimitri behind me. He grabbed me by my waist and kissed my lips gently, supporting my weight as I let go of the wall to kiss him back.

We somehow ended up on the bed. I straddled Dimitri, taking control and pulling his face closer to me.

He pulled away, breathlessly, "You never... used that _thing_ did you?"

I smiled, "Of course not. I'd rather wait for my boyfriend."

"Can I meet this boyfriend sometime?" Dimitri joked.

"You'd like him," I whispered, taking an opportunity to tease Dimitri.

"He's hot," I pecked his lips.

"And sexy," I kissed his neck.

"And strong," I kissed his chest.

"And he's _great_... if you know what I mean," I straightened back up.

Dimitri's eyes twinkled, "I think I do."

I smiled seductively, "Good."

I bent down to kiss his lips again.

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW XD**


	23. Chapter 23 The Rehab Centre

**A/N: DOUBLE UPDATE TONIGHT IN HONOUR OF PASSING ALL SIX OF MY EXAMS! THIS IS FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS STUCK BY ME THESE PAST THREE WEEKS AND HASN'T GIVEN UP. THIS IS JUST A SHORT ONE, BUT AN UPDATE NONETHELESS (LOVE THAT WORD ;P).**

**SO MY NEW COURSES START NEXT WEEK MEANING I SHOULD BE ABLE TO UPDATE SATURDAY DUE TO NO HOMEWORK BUT NOT SUNDAY (MORE REHEARSALS ). WE PERFORM NEXT WEEK SO THIS WILL PROBABLY BE ONE OF THE LAST UPDATES FOR A WHILE. DON'T HATE ME PLEASE.**

**Disclaimer: Vampire Academy = not mine **

Chapter Twenty Three The Rehab Centre

DPOV

The rehab centre was on the other side of court. I took Rose there in her wheelchair and Lissa had our bags transported for us. The rehab centre was actually just one of the many court guest buildings that had been remodelled with a kitchen and work out centre for people in need of physical rehabilitation.

Rose was silent the whole way. I knew from her posture and blank eyes that she was lost in her own thoughts. I didn't bother to try and pull her back... she needed to sort through her own worries.

We knocked on the centre door and a young woman answered.

"Guardian Hathaway and Guardian Belikov. Welcome. I'm the Centre's housekeeper, Violet Rinaldi," she said.

"Are you related to Mia Rinaldi?" Rose asked, snapping back into reality.

"Yes, ma'am, she's my cousin," Violet had a distinct Southern accent.

"Where are you from, Violet?" Rose asked.

"Texas. My father is a Rinaldi but my mother was born and raised in Costa Verde, Texas, just like me ma'am," Violet stepped aside for us to come in.

"Please, call me Rose. I'm a friend of Mia's," Rose smiled.

"I know, ma'am... uh, Rose. Mia told me to look out for you and Guardian Belikov," Violet closed the door behind us.

"Dimitri, please," I corrected.

"Yes, sir... eh, Dimitri," she said, "Would you like a tour of the Centre?"

"That would be great," I said, looking around at the pristine lobby-area.

Violet led us down a long hallway to a large, modern kitchen and dining area.

"You don't look like Mia," Rose said suddenly.

"No, Mia takes after her mother. Our fathers were twin brothers. I look like them," Violet explained.

"This is a lovely kitchen," I said politely.

"Thank you," Violet smiled.

An elderly Moroi woman came into the kitchen.

"Mrs Aleena, this is Guardian Rose Hathaway and Guardian Dimitri Belikov. Dimitri and Rose, this is our lovely cook, Mrs Aleena," Violet introduced.

Mrs Aleena smiled, "Welcome, guardians. Miss Lisa will be thrilled to not be the only patient here!"

"Lisa?" Rose asked.

Mrs Aleena's face grew grim, "Lisa Quinn. A few weeks ago, her family were in an accident. Hit-and-run. They lived with humans and young Lisa's parents and baby brother were killed upon impact. Lisa was thrown into a window and some of the glass punctured her spine. She has no family so we took her in. Much like you, Miss Rose, Lisa has been in a wheelchair and is learning to walk again. She's a gorgeous little thing, always smiling even after everything that's happened."

"How old is Lisa?" Rose asked.

"Nearly fifteen," Mrs Aleena said sadly.

"How did we not hear of this?" she asked.

"Well, Lisa is a non-royal. It's not exactly news to the Moroi."

"Could I meet Lisa... after the tour, of course?" Rose asked.

"Of course... speaking of, should we continue?" Violet asked.

We both nodded. As we followed Violet down a smaller passage into a large room full of gym equipment.

"Why do you want to meet Lisa so badly?" I whispered in her ear.

"Does she remind you of anyone?" Rose replied back, just as softly.

I shook my head to which she replied, "You'll see, Comrade."

Violet showed us all the machines that Rose would use to learn to walk again.

"This walking frame will be your new best friend. Instead of using a wheelchair, you can use this. You'll train on the training bike and eventually the walking/ running machine. You'll also do other exercises and simple yoga. The physical therapist, Doctor Marsh is at the hospital right now, you'll meet her tomorrow," Violet explained.

Rose nodded.

"Well, that's about it. I guess I'll show you to your room and then you can meet Lisa."

"Can we meet Lisa first?" Rose asked.

Violet nodded, confused and led us back through the kitchen and another hallway, to the first bedroom. She knocked on the door and then opened it to reveal a young Moroi girl lying on a bed listening to an iPod.

"Lisa, this is Guardian Rose Hathaway and Guardian Dimitri Belikov," Violet said.

Lisa pulled her earphones out and smiled, "Hello."

Rose wheeled herself over to Lisa's bed, "Hi Lisa, I'm Rose."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Rose," Lisa said politely.

"I heard about your accident. I'm so sorry," Rose said.

"It's okay. I mean, I miss my family, but it was meant to be this way. And I've got Vi and Mrs. Aleena," Lisa smiled.

"Vi?"

"Violet," Lisa explained, "She's my best friend."

"Isn't she a little old to be your best friend?" Rose asked.

I scoffed under my breath. Who were we to talk about age differences?

"Nah, Vi's only sixteen. She dropped out of school to help out at Court."

"Oh."

"Yeah... she's my only friend."

"I was like that once," Rose offered, smiling at Lisa, "Maybe we could be pals while we're both here."

And suddenly Rose's words and Lisa's story clicked into place and I knew exactly who Lisa reminded Rose of. I had a feeling that the two girls would get along fine.

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW. I'M CURIOUS TO KNOW WHO YOU ALL THINK IT IS.**


	24. Chapter 24 Physical Therapy

**A/N: SORRY. THIS CHAPTER IS REALLY SHORT. I HAVE HAD SOME PERSONAL DRAMAS DURING WRITING THIS CHAPTER SO I FOUND IT REALLY HARD TO WRITE THIS. I KEPT IT SHORT SO THAT IT WOULDN'T SUCK. SORRY, AGAIN. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK.**

**SHOUT OUTS GO TO KITTENXXKISSES, DIMKA'S CHICK, AOD4L, TORI, SARAH, MISSHATHAWAY, TWILIGHTERNPROUD, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17 AND ELENADANCELOVER05. THANKS SO MUCH GUYS. I LOVE YOU ALL. YOU'RE ALL AWESOME!**

**Disclaimer: I'm not really feeling good enough to come up with a creative disclaimer so... all rights go to Richelle Mead.**

Chapter Twenty Four Physical Therapy

RPOV

I sat on Lisa's bed, flipping through a magazine with her. I'd sent Dimitri off to train or something... I couldn't bond with Lisa with him around. And he'd been hovering around me for days.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Lisa asked.

"Pardon?" I replied, looking up from the magazine to meet Lisa's innocent hazel eyes.

"I'm a fifteen year old non-royal Moroi. You're an eighteen year old Dhampir... the Queen's Guardian. Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked again.

I smiled and took her hand, "You remind me of someone... two someones actually."

"Who?"

"My best friend. She lost her family at fifteen as well. She only had her best friend. And your names are pretty similar."

"Are you talking about Queen Vasilisa? How is her name like mine?" Lisa asked.

"Well, we call her Lissa. Lissa is just Lisa with an extra s," I pointed out.

"Oh," I could tell Lisa liked the comparison, "Who else?"

"Me. With your determination to beat your injury, you remind me of me," I smiled.

"Really?" Lisa asked, grinning.

"Yeah," I replied, going back to the magazine.

I was just about to give Lisa a quiz when Violet came to the door.

"Hello, Lise. Rose, Doctor Marsh would like to start your physical therapy now," she said.

I used my walking frame on wheels to stand up and turned back to Lisa, "I'll see you after girlie."

"Bye Rose."

I slowly made my way to the workout room. A young woman stood in the centre.

"Rose Hathaway," she greeted me.

"Doctor Marsh, I presume," I said, sitting on my walking frame.

"Yes, we're going to start with some simple exercises."

Physical therapy lasted for two and a half hours. By the time I was finished my legs ached and I was exhausted and hot and sweaty.

"How are you feeling?" Dimitri asked as I collapsed on the bed.

"Exhausted. Hot. Sweaty. All of the above," I joked wearily.

"Do you want me to run you a bath?" he asked moving to the bathroom door.

"Yes please," I moaned.

After the water was run, Dimitri came and lifted me up, carrying me into the bathroom. He helped me get my clothes off and lowered me into the bath. The warm water soaked over my aching muscles, relaxing me.

"That feels so nice," I mumbled, relaxing back against the bath.

"Call me when you're ready to get out," Dimitri said, leaving the bathroom to give me some privacy.

I mumbled a yes and leant back, resting my head against the wall. My eyes drifted closed and my body went slack in the water.

I must've fallen asleep because sometime later I heard Dimitri come in to check on me. I was too tired to open my eyes and felt him scoop my wet body out of the bath and onto a towel, which he used to dry me off and wrap me up in. He carried me back into the bedroom and placed me on the bed. I felt him slip a pair of undies on and one of his large t-shirts went over my head, covering the upper portion of my body.

As he laid me down under the covers, my head against the fluffy pillows, I stirred and my eyes half opened.

"Thanks, Comrade," I mumbled sleepily.

He chuckled in response, "No problem Roza. Maybe we should cut down on the intensity of those sessions, huh?"

I nodded, "I'd take your training sessions when I first got back to the academy, over this _any day_!"

He chuckled at me, "I'm going to remind you of that when I teach you to fight again."

"No!" I moaned.

"It'll all be worth it in the end," he reminded me, "Go to sleep now Roza."

I sighed and snuggled into him. My eyelids fluttered closed and I fell into a deep painless sleep.

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW.**


	25. Chapter 25 Lisa

**A/N: I KNOW IT'S BEEN FOREVER SINCE I UPDATED. I'LL SHARE MY GOOD NEWS. PRODUCTION IS OFFICIALLY OVER! MATINEE WAS WEDNESDAY, OPENING NIGHT WAS THURSDAY AND WE FINISHED UP LAST NIGHT (SATURDAY). MINOR MISTAKES WERE MADE... (TRIPPING ONSTAGE AND THEN BACKSTAGE ONLY HAPPENED ON THE MATINEE SO THAT WAS ALL GOOD ) BUT EVERYONE ENJOYED IT WHICH WAS AWESOME. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN REALLY UNDERSTANDING WHILE I HAVEN'T BEEN UPDATING. HOPEFULLY I HAVEN'T LOST ANYONE. SO... MORE GOOD NEWS... THIS WEEK IS MY LAST WEEK OF TERM. WITH TWO WEEKS HOLIDAYS I SHOULD BE UPDATING EVERY DAY (FINGERS CROSSED) WHICH SHOULD TAKE US TO THE END. THIS STORY HAS MAXIMUM TEN CHAPTERS LEFT... I'M NOT GOING TO DRAW OUT HER REHAB, I KNOW WHERE I WANT THIS STORY TO GO AND I WILL BE SKIPPING MONTHS TO GET THERE. THERE WILL BE NO SEQUEL... SORRY.**

**SHOUT OUTS: TWILIGHTERNPROUD, RPCHOSEN16, AOD4L, MRSNJJONAS, DIMKA'S CHICK, XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX, SARAH AND LOVENTHERUSSIAN17. I CAN'T THANK YOU GUYS ENOUGH. YOU ALL ROCK!**

**Disclaimer: Okay...**

**PR: So, I've invited a special guest to give the disclaimer. Take it away Richelle!**

**RM: Hi all, my name is Richelle Mead. I'd just like to clarify that **_**I**_** own Vampire Academy, not PrincessRedfern... as much as she wishes she did...**

**PR: Ha, ha, funny story, Richelle.**

**RM: ... she doesn't.**

**PR: And, that's enough!**

Chapter Twenty Five Lisa

RPOV

I'd been at the Centre just under a week when Lissa finally came to visit me. I knew she wanted to give me time to settle in and it killed her to be away from me just as much as it killed me to be away from her.

"Rose!" Lissa shrieked, coming to hug me from my place on my bed.

"Liss," I hugged her tightly.

"I would have come sooner but I wanted to give you time to settle in here. Am I a horrible best friend?" she asked worriedly.

"No, I'm so glad you waited. Things have been really hectic here. All of my trainings leave me exhausted and it's going to take forever for me to get back to where I'm used to be," I stretched my legs and cringed, proving my point.

"How is everything going?" Lissa asked.

"I'm getting there. This is a really good place to recover in. All the people are really welcoming," I smiled, thinking of Lisa.

"Mia suggested her cousin and the other women seem really nice," Lissa smiled.

"Violet is great and Mrs Aleena cooks the best meals. I can't even say anything bad about Doctor Marsh; she knows what she's doing and she seems to know when to push me and when to stop," I said.

Lissa smiled and I suddenly realised I'd forgotten someone.

"Have you met the other patient here?" I asked.

"Other patient?" Lissa asked confused.

"Why don't you come with me," I reached for my walking frame and slowly rose up from the bed.

Lissa walked beside me, not minding the idle pace. I stopped and knocked on Lisa's door.

"Come in," Lisa called.

I opened the door and moved into Lisa's room with Lissa right behind me.

"Hey girlie, this is my best friend that I was telling you about. Lissa this is Lisa Quinn, my rehab buddy," I said, sitting down on the surface of my walking frame.

Lisa's eyes widened as she realised she was in the presence of a Queen, "Queen Vasilisa, I apologise. I'd bow but it's a tad difficult at the moment."

"No apologies necessary Lisa, but please, just call me Lissa," Lissa smiled.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Your Majesty... I mean, Lissa," Lisa said politely.

"You guys have so much in common, beside your names," I joked.

They both laughed, "Like what?"

"Well, you both lost your parents and you're both Moroi and um..." I trailed off, unable to list any other similarities.

"Well... I think that first one counts for a lot," Lissa said softly.

"Yeah..." Lisa agreed sadly.

I could tell that Lissa and Lisa were curious about each other and I knew that Dimitri was bound to be home from the gym at any moment.

"I have to go talk to Violet about some stuff," I lied, standing up and gripping my walking frame.

"Do you need me to come?" Lissa asked standing.

"No, no, no," I insisted, "Stay here. I'm sure you two have _something_ to talk about."

"Come get me when you're done," Lissa said turning back to Lisa.

I smiled as I slowly walked out of the room, proud of what I had done. Lisa needed a confidant and Lissa understood exactly what she was going through. My means of introducing them was unconventional and slightly insensitive (bringing up death and what not) but I maintained that I had done the right thing.

I walked down the hall to the lobby area just in time to see Dimitri coming through the door, hot and sweaty. He wasn't allowed to use the training room at the centre and had to go to the Dhampir gym across Court. He only tended to go for an hour when I had my physical therapy and was always back before my sessions were over. I was slowly building up my strength but still had a long way to go.

"Dimitri!" I let go of my walking frame and propelled myself into his sweaty arms.

"Rose? What happened? Where's Lissa?" Dimitri asked worriedly using his arms to support my weight.

"She's fine. I introduced her to Lisa and I excused myself so that they could talk. Lisa needs a support system and Lissa knows _exactly_ how she feels. They'll be good for each other," I said, slapping his arms off of me and standing on my own wobbly legs, supporting myself on his arm.

"Be careful!" Dimitri said anxiously, guiding me to my frame.

"I'm fine," I waved him off, sitting on the surface.

"So, let me get this straight... your _best friend _came to see _you_ and yet you decided to introduce her to a girl who may just be in need of a friend?" I bowed my head, ashamed, "You are the most amazing, selfless woman I've ever met, Rose Hathaway."

I looked up at him in wonder, "Really? I just... I thought it might seem like I'm, like ditching Lissa or something."

Dimitri kissed my forehead and began wheeling me back to my room.

"I can walk, you know," I said.

"And how much have you been walking today?"

"Only a little bit," I lied.

I could feel the doubt radiating off Dimitri.

"My legs don't even ache!" I insisted, ignoring the slight twinge in my weakened muscles.

"Doctor Marsh said to take it easy with all of your rehab sessions," Dimitri reminded me.

"I _am_ taking it easy."

"You should be resting," Dimitri wheeled me into our room.

I sighed and used the frame to climb onto the bed. Dimitri sat down beside me and wrapped his sweaty arms around me.

"Ewwwww, Dimitri you're all sweaty!" I squealed.

He laughed and kissed my cheek, "Now so are you."

"Go take a shower!" I instructed, squirming in my now sweaty clothes.

Dimitri smiles at me mischievously, "Would you like to join me?"

I smiled back cheekily, "Hmmm... I dunno it's a tough decision."

Dimitri laughed, "I guess I'll go on my own then."

He stood up and moved towards the bathroom.

"Hold on... wait for me," I groaned climbing out of bed slowly and walking forward on wobbly legs.

Dimitri grabbed my arms to support me and smiled.

"I love you Roza," he whispered pressing his lips to mine.

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW.**


	26. Chapter 26 Lissa's Decision

**A/N: THIS IS THE TINIEST CHAPTER I'VE EVER WRITTEN. SORRY. I WANTED TO END IT ON A CLIFF HANGER SO... I'LL TRY TO UPDATE AGAIN TOMORROW.**

**SHOUT OUTS: KITTENXXKISSES, TWILIGHTERNPROUD, XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX, SARAH, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17 AND AOD4L. LOVE YOU GUYS. THANKS.**

**Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own Vampire Academy... thank you ALL for making me say it *grumpy face***

Chapter Twenty Six Lissa's Decision

RPOV

I waited for an hour after we got out of the shower to go find Lissa. I had about half an hour before my sessions started.

"Hey Lise, stop monopolising my friend," I teased from the doorway, my damp hair sticking to my neck.

Lissa and Lisa both jumped.

"How long were we talking?" Lissa asked.

"Over an hour," I replied, gripping my frame tightly.

"What? Rose, you should have come and gotten me," Lissa said standing up.

"No, I was... busy," I said, smiling at the thought of Dimitri.

"I'll talk to you later Quinn," Lissa hugged Lisa.

"You'd better Dragomir," Lisa replied grinning.

I waited until we were back in my room to comment, "You've really made Lisa happy Liss."

"You think?" Lissa's face lit up.

I nodded, "Yeah, I do."

"That's good because there's something I want to do," Lissa began.

I gestured for her to continue talking.

"I think I want to adopt Lisa."

**A/N: SORRY I KNOW IT'S SHORT, IT'S NOT EVEN 200 WORDS. I HATE MAKING IT SO SHORT AND DON'T BLAME YOU ALL IF YOU HATE ME. THINGS WILL GET BETTER. PLEASE REVIEW... EVEN IF IT'S TO BASH THE LENGTH.**


	27. Chapter 27 Guidance

**A/N: I GOT A FEW REVIEWS BASHING THE LENGTH OF THE LAST CHAPTER. THANK YOU GUYS, YOU'VE GIVEN ME THE PUSH I'VE NEEDED. THIS CHAPTER IS LONGER AND I'M AFRAID TO STAY THAT THIS STORY IS COMING TO A CLOSE IN UNDER TEN MORE CHAPTERS. I'M SAD BUT... I WILL POST ANOTHER STORY AFTER I FINISH THIS ONE... IF ANYONE CARES.**

**TO MY AWESOME REVIEWERS: SARAH, LOVINTHESUN1996, AOD4L, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17, MISSHATHAWAY, XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX, DINKA'S CHICK, KITTENXXKISSES AND ROSEFAN. JUST THE USUAL GUYS... YOU ARE ALL AWESOME. THANKS SO MUCH.**

**Disclaimer: Vampire Academy belongs to Richelle Mead... but in a perfect world, it's mine!**

Chapter Twenty Seven Guidance

RPOV

"_I think I want to adopt Lisa."_

My mouth dropped as I heard those words.

"Wha- What?" I stuttered.

"I think I want to adopt Lisa," Lissa repeated.

"I heard you... I'm just confused," I clarified, "You've known Lisa an hour and you want to _adopt_ her? You're only eighteen and you're the Queen and looking after a fifteen year old is such a big responsibility... and what about Christian?"

"What about Christian? This is my decision... and even if I adopt Lisa, it won't be like I'm her mother-figure or whatever... I'll be like a sister... like what I am to Jill," Lissa explained.

"But... why? You barely know Lisa."

"I want to give her the guidance that no one offered to me when my parents died."

"What about my guidance?" I asked.

"Rephrase... I meant no _adults_!" Lissa corrected.

"Good. But, Liss think about this. There is no way this will work!" I cried.

"Of course it will. Think about it. Lisa will be at the academy... during vacation, she'll have somewhere to go and when she's in trouble, she'll have someone to vouch for her!"

"But, Liss, adoption is a big step... a really big step..."

"I know... but it's the only way to show Lisa that I'm really committed to this!"

"Liss... just please think about it. Talk to Christian and Lisa and maybe an adoption specialist or something... don't do _anything_ rash!" I warned.

"I won't," she promised, waving me off.

I eyed her warily, unable to really believe her. I decided to leave it alone... for now.

I groaned as I climbed into bed, my whole lower body aching.

"How bad is it tonight?" Dimitri asked.

"The aches are getting less and less. I think my muscles are getting stronger," I yawned, lying down beside him.

"Really?" Dimitri asked.

"Mmm hmm," I nodded sleepily.

"That's great Rose," he hugged me closer to him.

"How are we going to celebrate when I can finally walk again?"

"Well, that's up to you, Rose," Dimitri said.

I looked at my left wrist through heavy eyes and stroked the scars that I'd forbidden Lissa to heal, "How about we hunt down the Strigoi scum who put me here and torture him to death?"

"Deal," Dimitri kissed my forehead.

"Good," I snuggled into his chest.

I was almost asleep when I felt Dimitri's lips at my ear, "I love you Roza. I promise that I will make that scumbag pay for what he did to you."

His whispers soothed me and I felt myself lulled to sleep by his warm rich voice.

Within a week, Lissa had applied for adoption of Lisa Quinn. Lisa was ecstatic at the thought of having a family. Christian wasn't happy, but in his love-sick-puppy-dog-way, he was supporting her. Jill was flying in from the Academy to meet Lisa and staying for a few weeks to catch up with Lissa. She was going to be tutored by some of the best Court teachers.

Lissa was nervous, buzzing around like a busy little bee. She was constantly on the move. She spent hours doing her Queenly duties in the morning, then spent lunch time with Lisa and I here at the Centre. Her afternoons and nights were spent with Christian or at the adoption agency. Just watching her buzz around and listening to her at lunch was making me tired.

Things were moving fast, but as Queen, some strings had been pulled. The adoption would be finalised a week after Jill arrived.

So, on the one hand, there was Lissa... running around Court trying to rule the Moroi and do good for a young girl in need, and on the other hand there was me, busy trying to learn to walk again. I couldn't believe how far apart our worlds were, how different our lives had turned out compared to what we'd planned.

"What are you thinking about?" Dimitri asked me.

"Life... everything has turned out so unexpectedly," I mused.

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked.

"No... it's just different," I replied.

We sat on the couch of the living room in silence for a moment. It was my day off from therapy and we were taking it easy, as Doctor Marsh had advised.

"Can I show you something?" I asked softly, remembering something from my previous session.

Dimitri nodded and squeezed my hand encouragingly. I slowly rose up from the couch and walked slowly, on trembling, weakened legs a few steps backwards.

"Rose, what are you doing?" Dimitri asked anxiously.

I stood on my own, without supporting my weight on the walking frame. I could feel my legs trembling, but _only slightly_. Excitement welled up inside of me. I was supporting myself. I felt like a baby hitting a milestone again.

"Rose," Dimitri said, reaching out to support me.

"Hold on a sec," I said, standing on my own for a little longer.

Dimitri caught me just as my legs collapsed out from under me.

"Thanks," I said gratefully as he pulled me closer to him on the couch.

"Rose, it's great that you're making progress but if you strain yourself you'll undo _any_ progress made. You need to relax on your day off. Listen to Doctor Marsh," Dimitri said.

"I am... but I miss that girl I was before all this... that fun, independent, wild, stubborn, impulsive girl... I don't know where she went... and I don't know how to get her back," I whispered, tears forming in my eyes as my fears bubbled to the surface.

"Roza," Dimitri cradled me to his chest, "You _are_ fun, you _are_ independent and your little stunt just then, proved that you _are_ wild and stubborn and impulsive. You're still you Rose... you're still the woman I fell in love with. You_ are_ the woman I fell in love with."

"I am?" I asked, blinking away the tears.

He kissed my forehead, "Of course you are."

I smiled and settled into his chest, "Thank you."

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW GUYS... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!**


	28. Chapter 28 Jill's Arrival

**A/N: UPDATING AGAIN YAY :D. SO THIS CHAPTER IS SHORT BUT NOT TOO SHORT. I HOPE YOU LIKE IT.**

**SHOUT OUTS: KITTENXXKISSES, BRITTY12071992, MISSHATHAWAY, SARAH, DIMKA'S CHICK, ANNOYNOMOUS AND LOVENTHERUSSIAN17. I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH... THANK YOU ALL.**

**Disclaimer: I can't be bothered to think of something creative... I'm feeling lazy, so... I don't own VA.**

Chapter Twenty Eight Jill's Arrival

RPOV

We stood at the Court airstrip. By 'we', I meant myself, Dimitri, Lissa, Christian, Lisa and of course Lissa's standard guardians. And Lissa and I weren't really standing... we were sitting on our frames.

"What if Jill doesn't like me?" Lisa asked nervously.

"Jill will _love_ you. She's just like you. You guys are going to get along like two peas in a pod," I reassured her.

I sounded cool, but inside my emotions were churning. Jill hadn't seen me since the accident. Would she stare? I hoped not, it would make me feel like a freak.

Dimitri squeezed my shoulder reassuringly, almost as if he could read my mind. I smiled up at him and mouthed 'Thanks'.

Lissa paced up and down the edge of the airstrip, clearly nervous to see Jill. It was hilarious watching her pace agitatedly with her two near guards tailing her. I couldn't hold in the giggle that was bubbling to my lips.

"What?" Lissa turned and glared at me.

"Liss, stop pacing and calm down. You guys look like a freaking parade," I teased.

Lissa opened her mouth to respond when sounds of the plane's approach reached us.

"She's here!" Lissa shrieked.

The plane landed relatively quickly and within minutes, Jill was running down the airstrip to our little group, her guardians chasing behind her.

"Jill!" Lissa yelled.

"Liss!" Jill yelled back, hugging Lissa tightly.

Everyone watched the two sisters have their little reunion. After a moment Jill turned to the rest of us.

"Christian," she hugged him tightly.

"Hey, Jailbait," Christian pulled out our old nickname for Jill.

I winced at that. Adrian had thought up the nickname... much like Little Dhampir and Cradle Robber, the nickname had done its purpose in annoying the person to whom the nickname belongs to.

"Hello Guardian Belikov," Jill stepped back and smiled politely at Dimitri.

"Hello, Princess Jillian, how was your flight?" Dimitri asked, always the polite one.

"Very well thank you Guardian Belikov... but it's just Jill."

"As you wish, Jill, but only if you call me Dimitri."

"Deal," Jill smiled, turning to look at me.

"Hey, Jilly-girl," I grinned up at her.

"Rose," Jill hugged my neck tightly.

"I've missed you, _Princess_," I teased.

"Oh, not you too Rose!" Jill groaned.

"You know I can't help myself!"

"You should though."

I laughed, "Yeah... you'd think I'd learn."

Lissa cleared her throat and moved to stand behind Lisa.

"Jill, this is Lisa Quinn. Lisa, this is Jill Mastrano-Dragomir, my sister," she introduced them.

"Hello, Lisa," Jill said softly.

"Hi, Jill, uh, Princess Jill."

"Please, call me Jill."

The two girls stared at each other for a moment and we all sat in awkward silence.

"Why don't we go back to the Centre? Violet didn't really want Lisa and Rose out too long," Lissa suggested.

"Liss, I'm nearly nineteen years old... I can look after myself," I said, standing and gripping my walking frame.

"How tired are you today?" Lissa asked anxiously.

"I'm fine, Liss... I'm getting there. Lisa's so far ahead of me though... she'll be gone in a few weeks," I paused to lightly punch Lisa, who now only needed her walking frame for another few days.

"Only because my injury wasn't as bad," Lisa replied.

"Don't forgo credit Lisa, you've worked hard to get here," I said.

"Not as hard as you Rose."

"What, this? Honey, this is nothing compared to Dimitri's training sessions," I poked my tongue at Dimitri cheekily, "Talk about a slave driver."

"Don't act like you didn't enjoy them Rose!" Dimitri called.

"I enjoyed the outcome... and getting hot and sweaty with you wasn't too bad!" I replied jokingly.

Everyone groaned.

"My ears... my virgin ears!" Christian joked.

"From what I saw when Lissa and I were bonded, you are most definitely _not_ a virgin!" I shot back.

"And what exactly did you see Rose?" Lissa asked.

"What didn't I see? I still have nightmares about those images... what is seen cannot be unseen," I replied.

"Oh God, Rose!" Lissa cringed.

"What do you think my reaction was?" I replied.

Everyone laughed as we walked. We finally reached the Centre and sat down inside at the table to catch up with Jill over coffee. We talked for _hours_ and by the end of it, Jill and Lisa were best friends, just as I'd predicted. After everything had been so horrible for what felt like so long, it was nice to have some happy, fluffy, carefree fun with friends.

**A/N: PLEASE REVIEW **


	29. Chapter 29 The Months That Passed

**A/N: I'M SORRY. I WENT AND SAW HARRY POTTER AT MIDNIGHT TUESDAY AND IT TOOK ME TWO DAYS TO RECOVER. IT WAS WORTH IT... AMAZING MOVIE THIS IS THE SECOND LAST CHAPTER. I'M SAD TO SEE THIS STORY COME TO AN END BUT IT'S ABOUT TIME IT DID.**

**SHOUT OUTS: BRITTY12071992, KITTENXXKISSES, MISSHATHAWAY, SARAH, JOSEFINESHIELD, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17 AND AOD4L. I LOVE YOU GUYS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Academy... unfortunately **

Chapter Twenty Nine The Months That Passed

DPOV

I couldn't believe how far Rose had come in the four months that had passed. It had been over six months since 'the accident' and Rose could now walk without the walking frame. The rehab centre had done all they could for her and now it was up to me. I had to train Rose and get her fighting skills back to where they were.

Lissa had legally adopted Lisa, who had returned with Jill to St Vladimir's last month. Lisa had made more progress than Rose, and was back to where she'd been before her own accident. I knew that made Rose feel inadequate, but what she didn't realise was that her injuries were so much more extensive than Lisa's. But the thought of Lisa recovering more quickly than she was fuelled her competitive side, making her work even harder to get back to where she was.

That wasn't always perfect. Rose's muscles and her legs were weak and she was more often than not injuring them. And unfortunately for her, having Lissa heal them would keep her legs weak and cause even more injuries, which meant she had to deal with many sprains. Of course that only fuelled her determination even more.

I woke to Rose shaking me, as I did most mornings.

"Come on, Dimitri... get up already we have to train!" she said, shaking my arm gently.

That determination was costing me the morning lie ins I'd become accustomed to. For the past two months, since she'd gotten the okay to start training again, Rose had become a morning person... desperate to get back to where she was. It was annoying, but I had to admire her dedication. Back at the academy, I'd had to drag her out of bed. Now she dragged me out of bed to train. The difference in her attitude was almost comical. _Almost_.

"How about we sleep in today?" I suggested, not bothering to open my eyes.

"Where were my sleep ins back at St. Vlad's?" she asked, shaking my arm again.

"Five more minutes," I moaned, rolling onto my stomach and burying my head into the pillow.

It was silent for a moment... too silent. Suspicion coursed through me.

"Dimitri?" Rose whispered in my ear, leaning over me so that her hair brushed across my back.

I remained still as she pushed her chest into my back and leaned closer to my ear.

"Please Dimitri?" she whispered, her hair brushing over my back again.

I groaned and rolled over. Somehow, Rose had held herself up so that she was now resting on top of my chest.

"How is it that you can make me do anything?" I whispered, stroking her beautiful, soft hair.

"It's a gift," she replied, smiling.

"To you maybe..." I teased.

"So... are we going to train now?" Rose asked.

"I have a better idea," I stared into her warm almond eyes, revelling in the light and life they were full of.

"And what would that be?" those eyes lit up mischievously.

"Kiss me and find out," I whispered, my eyes moving from her beautiful eyes to her perfect round pink lips.

Those beautiful soft lips moved into a smirk as they neared mine. She paused for a moment before pressing her lips to mine. She moaned softly and pulled the sheet over our heads.

We didn't start training until after lunch... a risky move on my part. It meant that Rose would push herself even harder to cram as much progress as she could into the small time slot.

"When are we going to start sparring again?" Rose asked as we ran together.

"When you can run without spraining your ankles," I replied.

"I feel like I'm back to where I was when we first met... running and not working on technique," she sighed.

"It's like riding a bike, Rose. Once you get back into the swing of things, you'll be back to being one of the best guardians around," I told her.

She was astonished, "You think I'm one of the best guardians around?"

"I _know_ you're one of the best guardians around. Roza, I've seen you fight... you're amazing," I told her.

"You really think so?" she asked.

"You're surprised?" I asked, amazed.

"I'm stubborn and I have no regard for authority and I'm reckless and..."

I interrupted her, "And you're kind and beautiful and determined and you protect those you love and when you fight... you're a force to be reckoned with."

She beamed, "You really think so?"

"Of course I do. Why do you think I fell for you?" I asked.

She stopped running suddenly... a bad move. Her right ankle twisted and she fell. Luckily, I'd stopped running almost as soon as she had and with my Dhampir reflexes, was able to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Ow... ow, ow, ow!" she groaned as I steadied her.

"Is it sprained?" I asked, scooping her up in my arms.

"Probably... ouch, I don't remember sprains hurting this badly," she groaned.

"That's because your legs weren't weakened then. And you had Lissa to heal them before they hurt too badly," I reminded her.

"Stop reminding me of the good times," she moaned as I carried her into our apartment.

I set her down on the couch and went to get the first aid kit from the bathroom. When I returned, I bandaged up Rose's already swelling, sprained ankle.

"You're the most accident-prone person I've ever met, Rose Hathaway," I told her.

She smiled, "Damn straight... I'd list my accidents but we'd be here forever."

I sat down beside her and took her in my arms.

"I'm so proud of you, Roza," I whispered to her.

"Good," she whispered, "That's good."

**A/N: REVIEW PLEASE**


	30. Chapter 30 Closure

**A/N: THIS IS IT... THE FINAL CHAPTER. I'D JUST LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED THIS STORY- ALL THOSE WHO HAVE READ, STORY ALERTED, STORY FAVOURITED AND MOST ESPECIALLY REVIEWED. YOU GUYS ARE THE REASON I WRITE AND I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH.**

**SO, TO THE REVIEWERS OF THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER, AOD4L, MISSHATHAWAY, TWILIGHTERNPROUD, KITTENXXKISSES, SARAH, XXDEADLYBLACKROSEXX, LOVENTHERUSSIAN17 AND ROSEANDDMIMITRI, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. YOUR SUPPORT HAS HELPED ME FINISH THIS. I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH **

**Disclaimer: I can honestly say I don't own Vampire Academy. If I did, I would so have Dimitri fall in love with me.**

Chapter Thirty Closure

RPOV

I sat on the picnic blanket surrounded by my friends, both old and new, Lissa, Christian, Eddie, Mia, Jill, Lisa, Violet and, of course, Dimitri. A hush fell over us all as Lissa cleared her throat loudly- a Queenly habit she'd picked up.

"It's time to get to what this dinner is really about- Rose," Lissa said, smiling at me, "On this night, twelve months ago, you lost something that meant everything to you. But you didn't stop fighting... and you've come out the other side, stronger than ever."

I didn't point out that I _had_ stopped fighting at one point.

"So... this is for you Rose," Lissa raised her champagne glass.

Everyone (excluding Lisa and Jill who were still too young to drink) raised their glasses.

"To Rose," Lissa said.

They repeated and then everyone took a sip of their drink.

"Thank you guys," I smiled, "I couldn't have done it without you."

Dimitri pulled me closer to him, his fingers brushing my bare lower back and the tattoo I'd recently gotten. It was a small wheelchair placed on the exact place my spine had broken, as a reminder of how easily things could be lost... a good reminder, unlike the scars I refused to let Lissa heal.

"You deserve the credit Rose," he whispered in my ear.

"So do you... you put up with all of this," I replied just as softly.

"You're worth it," he kissed my head.

I smiled and turned back to the conversation.

"... don't see the point of going back to school," Christian was saying.

I knew immediately that they were talking about Lissa (and I) going back to Lehigh next week.

"That's only because you'd flunk out within the first five minutes!" I teased.

Everyone besides Christian laughed at that.

"I'd last five minutes longer than you, Rosie," he shot back.

I laughed at that, "Touché Sparky."

"Well, isn't this nice?" a chilling voice said behind me.

I stood up and spun on my heel to see Strigoi standing on the edge of the wards. There were two... and one I knew very well.

"Eli," Dimitri said, his tone dark and angry.

"You remember me, do you brother?" Eli smirked.

I looked over my shoulder. Christian and Mia had Lissa, Lisa and Jill behind them, in case things went bad. Jill could fight, but as the Dragomir princess needed protection. I couldn't see Eddie, but I soon realised he was on my other side.

Knowing that Lissa was safe and didn't need my protection allowed me to focus back on Eli. Rage filled me and I saw red. I moved to lunge at Eli, but arms wrapped around my waist and grabbed my arm. Dimitri and Eddie.

"Rosemarie Hathaway... you're looking well. I thought I'd paralysed you, but I suppose not. I'll be sure to fix that," Eli sneered.

"Spirit will heal her," Lissa's voice rang out clearly from behind Christian.

"Her Majesty, Queen Vasilisa, I presume," Eli looked over my shoulder and bowed, "A pleasure."

His sarcasm was obvious to all.

"Don't talk to her. You're scum," I yelled, "You destroyed me! Do you know what I went through to get back to where I was... to where I am now? It took long hours every day for months! You did this!"

I held up my left wrist so he could see the scars.

"I broke the tough Rose Hathaway?" Eli smirked, "That's two points I believe."

I snapped and suddenly I wasn't in control of my actions anymore.

"Let me go," I hissed, struggling to get to Eli.

"We'll go for the other one. Go for Eli, Rose," Dimitri whispered.

Eddie gave an infinitesimal nod to show he understood. In one smooth movement, they let me go and we charged for the Strigoi. Dimitri and Eddie stuck to the plan and left Eli to me. Full of rage, I pulled my stake out and swung it forward, getting Eli's cheek.

"Is that the best you got?" he taunted, lunging at me and pinning me to the ground.

I struggled, but his weight and strength outmatched mine.

"Game over, little girl," Eli leaned closer to my neck.

I refused to cower as he leaned in, baring his fangs. I refused to be weak. Suddenly, Eli's arms caught fire. He leapt off of me in alarm and began swatting at the fire.

"Thanks Christian," I yelled, leaping up and sending a kick to Eli's stomach.

My rage was back, fuelled with more fire than before. He fell to the ground and I wasted no time in stabbing my stake in both of his legs.

"That's for snapping my spine," I spat.

I swiped my stake across his cheek, "That's for the suicide attempt I had."

Christian had stopped the fire now and Eli was in too much pain to move.

"That's for the months I spent in the Rehab Centre," I stabbed one charred arm.

"That's for the hours I put in training... the sprained ankles and the fatigue," I stabbed the other arm.

Finally, I positioned my stake above his heart, "This is for me."

I plunged my stake into his heart and sat back to watch Eli's final moments. As he took his final breath, I felt arms wrap around my waist. The rage I felt faded, leaving nothing but emptiness in it's place.

"It's over, Rose," Dimitri whispered in my ear.

I felt myself tremble in his arms as tears fell down my cheeks.

"It's over," I whispered to myself, "It's all over."

Somehow, we ended up back over the wards. We huddled together in silence as we watched the sun come up, and the Strigoi bodies caught fire instantly.

"It's over," I whispered again.

As I watched Eli's body burn, I felt a burden being lifted off of my shoulders. I had closed this chapter and was starting again. I had closure and it felt good.

**A/N: AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I'M PLANNING ON POSTING A FEW MORE ONE SHOTS AND SOME OTHER STORIES THAT ARE NOT JUST FOR VAMPIRE ACADEMY. THANKS AGAIN **


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